Aaron Donald Commits to Pitt, Disrupts The NFL

The undisputed choice for the NFL’s Most Disruptive Player, Aaron Donald, has now disrupted the balance in the ongoing saga of off-season good and evil.

The University of Pittsburgh has announced that the league’s Defensive Player of the Year two years running for the Los Angeles Rams has made an amazing seven-figure financial commitment to his alma mater.

What is being described as a “historic gift” now makes Donald, at twenty-seven, the youngest seven-figure donor in the history of the University. It’s also the largest donation by a Pitt Panther football letterman in the program’s history.

NFL star and Pitt legend Aaron Donald has made a seven-figure financial commitment to the Pitt Football Championship Fund.

At 27, Donald is the University's youngest seven-figure donor in history.

Thank You, @AaronDonald97!

MORE: https://t.co/0tlxOPYLGR
#H2P pic.twitter.com/QryW5vMsfL

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) April 12, 2019

But wait! There’s more.

Donald Solidifies His Name For Years To Come

The university, in honor, appreciation, and recognition of Donald’s generosity, will now be renaming their Duratz Athletic Complex to the “Aaron Donald Football Performance Center.” This is where Pitt football players workout. It includes their locker room, training facility and more. Additionally, the gift will help in areas of technology, facility upgrades, even recruiting. But no less important, its focus will also be geared towards student-athlete development. It’s Donald’s way of giving gratitude while helping Pitt Panthers of the future to become as impacted and inspired as he has been.

This is a person that cares deeply about his alma mater and returns every year to work out and aid others in doing so. His financial pledge is proof and embeds his name in the fabric of the University for many years to come.

Donald, who doesn’t shy away from speaking on the positive things that have shaped him, had this to say. “My experience as a Panther is something that influences my life every day and I want to pay that forward. I believe in what Coach [Pat] Narduzzi is building at Pitt and this was an opportunity for me to make a difference for our current and future players. Pitt will always be my school and I’m honored to be able to support the Blue and Gold.

In a nutshell, here’s a look at what the University of Pittsburgh has helped inspire:

2014 NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
2017 NFL AP Defensive Player of the Year
2018 NFL AP Defensive Player of the Year
2014 NFL All-Rookie Team
Five straight Pro Bowls (2014-2018)
Four First-Team All-Pro (2015-2018)

This Is Why You Pay’em

Other accolades include being named to the NFL Top 100 list the last four years (2015-2018), five Defensive Player of the Week awards (two in 2018) and two Defensive Player of the Month awards (also two in 2018). Unlike many players his best season, without question, came after receiving that huge 6-year, $135M extension.

Donald remains humble and hard-working despite his huge success. He is one of the NFL’s brightest shining lights and this is much needed news amid the gossip, rumors and scandals that sometimes plague the league.

In fact, this is why you pay the Aaron Donalds, the Kobe Bryants and Michael Jordans of the world. The elite who strive to be better and better for no other reason than they were born to. Sometimes they have a chip on their shoulder. Too often, they have a bad life to overcome. For these reasons and more of their own, they don’t work any less to deserve what they earn. Often they do more. More times than not they become positive role models that can greatly impact young minds and lives for the better. This is good for the nation and the world overall. Then there’s the added bonus that they bring positive vibes to both your fan base and your bottom line. In other words, they will almost always make you exceedingly proud that you did.

A bit dramatic? Sure, but would you rather keep reading about conflicts of interests within our sports, who tweeted what about who or who abused their wife or child?

As Mike Washabaugh (@MWashMC), Operations Manager for 1160 AM WMET in Washington D.C., put it, “This is real news. Worthy of a real headline. A real person doing a real good thing.”

You can read more about Aaron Donald’s seven-figure commitment at the University of Pittsburgh’s official announcement page or here to click the Rams page: