‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 97: Aaron Donald tops an impressive group
The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number.
No. 97: Aaron Donald
Other than a devastatingly quick first step and the brute strength forged by hours in his Penn Hills basement, nothing defined No. 97 Aaron Donald more than his reaction to Pitt’s 58-55 victory at Duke in 2013.
It was Pitt’s first victory in the ACC, and Tom Savage celebrated by throwing six touchdown passes. But the defense allowed 733 yards and eight touchdowns, and Donald was in no mood after the game to accept congratulations.
“We need to work on some stuff,” he said, his unhappiness clearly visible to all around him. “We got a win, so we’re going to be happy about the win, but I’m kind of disappointed as far as letting them score 55 points on us. I’m real disappointed in that part.”
That attitude is what made him great and led Donald to a sweep of all four college football defensive awards: Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski and Outland, plus ACC Defensive Player of the Year. A few months later, he became a first-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams (where he is a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year).
He is clearly the best Pitt football player since Larry Fitzgerald (2003), best on defense since Hugh Green (1980) and the best Pittsburgh athlete to wear No. 97 (ever), as chosen by the Tribune-Review sports staff. It was a tough call, however. Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward is a two-time All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowler and the emotional and spiritual leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Early in that game at Duke, Donald tackled two players simultaneously in the backfield. Quarterback Brandon Connette was handing off to Josh Snead at the time. Later that season, Donald recorded six tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles at Georgia Tech.
No one in Pittsburgh has worn No. 97 while achieving so much and attracting such celebrity, but other than Donald and Heyward, two others stand out among the crowd.
• Three years before Donald’s senior season, Pitt defensive end Jabaal Sheard was named first-time All-American.
• With the Pittsburgh Steelers, linebacker Kendrell Bell was defensive rookie of the year in 2001 and authored a heroic performance on a bum ankle — nine tackles, two TFLs — in a playoff victory against the Cleveland Browns on Jan. 5, 2003.
‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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