Aaron Donald is considered one of the best defensive players in the NFL today. The defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams is a 7-time Pro Bowler and 3-time Defensive Player of the Year. His dominance on the field has led many to wonder – has Aaron Donald ever missed a game due to injury or rest?
Aaron Donald’s NFL Career
Aaron Donald was drafted by the Rams with the 13th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Since entering the league, he has established himself as an elite talent capable of disrupting opposing offenses.
Here is a quick overview of Aaron Donald’s seasons so far:
| Season | Games Played | Pro Bowl | All-Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 16 | No | Yes |
| 2015 | 16 | Yes | Yes |
| 2016 | 16 | Yes | Yes |
| 2017 | 14 | Yes | Yes |
| 2018 | 16 | Yes | Yes |
| 2019 | 16 | Yes | Yes |
| 2020 | 16 | Yes | Yes |
| 2021 | 12 | Yes | Yes |
| 2022 | 7* | Yes | Yes |
*Through Week 7 of 2022 season
As the table shows, Aaron Donald has been selected to the Pro Bowl every season of his career so far. He has also been named an All-Pro every season. This level of consistency and dominance is unmatched among NFL defensive players.
The only minor “blemish” on his availability is that he has missed 2 games so far in the 2022 season. Let’s take a closer look at his game availability.
Has Aaron Donald Ever Missed a Game?
For the first 7 seasons of his NFL career, Aaron Donald did not miss a single regular season game. He suited up for 112 consecutive regular season contests from 2014 to 2020.
Donald’s first missed game came in Week 12 of the 2021 season, when he sat out against the Green Bay Packers due to a knee injury. He ended up missing a total of 5 games that season, marking the only significant time missed in his career so far.
In 2022, Donald has missed 2 games so far:
- Week 1: Sat out against Buffalo Bills as he worked on a new contract with the Rams.
- Week 6: Missed game against Carolina Panthers with an ankle injury.
So in total, Aaron Donald has missed just 7 regular season games since entering the league in 2014. Other than the 5 games missed in 2021 and the 2 so far in 2022, he has suited up for every single regular season contest.
For additional context, here is a breakdown of the number of games missed by season:
| Season | Games Missed |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 2 |
As shown, 2021 was the only season where Donald missed significant time, sitting out 5 games with a knee issue. Outside of that shortened season, he has rarely missed NFL action over his 9-year career.
Reasons for Aaron Donald’s Durability
There are several factors that contribute to Aaron Donald’s durability and lack of missed games:
- Elite conditioning & training: Donald is renowned for his rigorous training regimen that keeps him in peak physical condition.
- Good injury luck: Donald has managed to avoid major injuries that can force extended absences.
- Goal to play every snap: Donald sets a goal to play every defensive snap each season when healthy.
- Toughness: Donald plays through minor injuries that may sideline other players.
- Recovery focus: Donald focuses heavily on recovery techniques like cold tubs to keep his body fresh.
Thanks to this combination of training, luck, pain tolerance, and recovery methods, Aaron Donald has compiled one of the longest active ironman streaks for defensive players.
How Does This Compare to Other Elite Defensive Players?
It’s extremely rare for defensive players of Aaron Donald’s caliber to suit up for practically every game year after year. To demonstrate this, here’s a comparison of number of games missed over the past 3 seasons by other elite NFL defensive players:
| Player | Games Missed (Past 3 Seasons) |
|---|---|
| Aaron Donald | 7 |
| TJ Watt | 6 |
| Myles Garrett | 4 |
| J.J. Watt | 24 |
| Khalil Mack | 18 |
As you can see, other elite defensive linemen and pass rushers like TJ Watt and Myles Garrett miss a few games here and there. Veterans like J.J. Watt and Khalil Mack have missed significant time in recent seasons.
Meanwhile, Aaron Donald has played over 90% of regular season games over that span. This level of availability for a defensive tackle is practically unheard of.
Conclusion
In summary – Aaron Donald has missed just 7 regular season games since entering the NFL in 2014. Other than 5 games missed due to a knee issue in 2021, he has maintained extraordinary durability for a defensive player.
Donald’s rugged training, recovery commitment, pain tolerance, and good injury fortune have enabled him to achieve a rare ironman streak for his position. While other elite defenders miss occasional games, Donald’s absence from the lineup has been a very rare occurrence during his dominant Rams career.