Super Bowl champion Aaron Donald recently signed with Donda Sports, a company that provides professional and wellness support to athletes. It’s owned by rap and fashion mogul Kanye West and its president is none other than the mercurial Antonio Brown. It’s a bit of a shock to see Donald become the first high-profile athlete to sign with Ye and Donda Sports.
Kanye West signed NFL superstar and future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald to Donda Sports, and the All-Pro says there could be a cleat collab in the future. https://t.co/nwFH08PFSY
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) May 29, 2022
In an interview on the “I AM ATHLETE” podcast, Donald talked about his signing with Donda Sports.
“It was an opportunity that came to us, me and my wife, and it made sense. Hearing the whole spectrum of what they were going to bringing, the whole family atmosphere that they got in Donda Sports. Not just me, but my wife being a part of that. For me it was a no-brainer. I think it’s a helluva opportunity to open up a lot of different doors and a lot of different things outside of football that I wanna be involved in, that I wanna do, that my wife wanna do. So to be a part of that, and be one of the first athletes to be a part of that, it’s pretty dope. We’re excited about it, and we’re gonna see where it this things goes.”
“Ain’t nothing in full circle, but we’ve been talking. We got a lot of different things that are planned.
Donald says he and Ye vibed pretty easily.
“He cool man. He real cool. A good dude,” Donald said of Ye. “Got to talk a little bit. Vibe. Was at one of his video shoots. He actually wanted me to get in one of the videos, but I was like, ‘Naw.’ I was out of my element. But he was cool.”
“Donda Sports is something close to him, obviously, with his mother and everything. So he definitely wants this to be something that’s top tier and something he’s serious about.”
The connection between the two megastars has folks clamoring for a cleat collaboration between Yeezy and the Los Angeles Rams stud defensive lineman.
Donald, who’s arguably the NFL’s best player, has been on an emotional high since he won the Super Bowl, capping off a memorable run to his first ring.
The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time First-team All-Pro has had quite the career after being a lightly regarded recruit to Pittsburgh and the No. 13 overall selection in the 2014 NFL draft. In fact, if they were to re-draft that year, he’d be the consensus No. 1 overall pick followed by Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack. Not JaDeveon Clowney who went No. 1 in that draft.
Aaron Donald’s career stats…
• 127 games
• 441 tackles, 150 TFL
• 226 QB hits, 98 sacks
• 23 FF, 6 FR
• 16 PD, 1 safety
• 8x pro bowler, 7x 1st team all-pro
• 3x DPOY
• Super Bowl champion pic.twitter.com/ywUrVQaX9h— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) February 17, 2022
Could Donald Retire?
Donald is in the midst of a contract dispute with the Rams, and it’s believed that he’s looking for a deal that will reset the defensive market. One that would top reigning Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt’s $28 million per season deal he signed with the Steelers.
Since the Rams won the Super Bowl, there has been widespread rumors that Donald may consider retirement if his salary demands aren’t met. The dominant interior force and leader of the Rams defense is deserving of whatever dollar amount he’s pursuing. He’s the biggest gamewrecker in the NFL.
With accolades through the roof, AD99 is usually a man of few words, but in this instance he’s adamant that he wants to be compensated as the best defensive player in the league, which he is.
Aaron Donald's career so far:
• Only player in Super Bowl era with seven straight first-team All-Pro selections
• 3X Defensive Player of the Year
• 8x Pro Bowler
• Defensive Rookie of the Year
• Super Bowl ChampionOne of the best to ever do it. pic.twitter.com/iq1rx61nRH
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 14, 2022
Can The Rams Repeat?
The Rams have the fourth-beat Super Bowl odds behind the Bills, Buccaneers, and Chiefs. As long as Donald is in uniform they have a shot every week. He’s joined by the best cornerback in the league in Jalen Ramsey, quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receivers Cooper Kupp (reigning Super Bowl MVP), newly acquired wideout Allen Robinson and longtime Seahawks stalwart linebacker Bobby Wagner.
Head coach Sean McVay is one of the brightest offensive minds in the league, and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has become one of the standout defensive play-callers.
Donald is all business on the football field, but he’s also about building his empire off the field, and, like it or not, Kanye West is making big moves and bringing Antonio Brown along for the ride. Brown might not be the focal point of positive media narratives, but his respect as an elite NFL player and his connections will help make Donda Sports an impact brand.
