Google News
Aaron Donald says a challenging and rough 2022 season "lit a fire" inside of him as the seven-time All-Pro defensive tackle wants to have a big bounce back season in 2023. Donald, who was drafted in 2014, appeared in a career-low 11 games last season.
In Week 13, Donald sustained a left high ankle sprain. But even before Donald suffered what turned out to be a season-ending injury, the Los Angeles Rams were struggling heavily and having a rough season. “I’ve got a lot to prove.
I didn’t have the season I wanted, obviously coming off of an injury and things like that. I feel like to get to where you need to be, it’s like starting over from scratch again. It’s a brand new year. Last year was last year, but there’s a little fire lit into me.
I got a little motivation towards that to push me to feel like I’m back on ground one. So I’m trying to get back to where I want to be as a player, as a teammate, as a team overall, and that’s been kind of pushing me a little bit," Donald said, via Pro Football Talk.
Donald determined to help the Rams get back on the right track
After winning the Super Bowl in 2021, the Rams entered the 2022 season as one of the top contenders to win it all again in 2022. But the Rams weren't anywhere near repeating as the Super Bowl champions in 2022 as they went 5-12 and didn't even make the playoffs.
In 2022, the Rams were hampered by injuries to key players and pretty much everything went wrong. “Right now we are just trying to get back on top. Obviously, we didn’t have a season we wanted as a team last year.
Now you’re kind of looked over as a team, so I feel like we have got something to prove. So that’s the motivation right there," Donald said.