Aaron Donald is a Super Bowl champion.
The Pitt and Penn Hills alum was a huge factor in the Los Angeles Rams’ 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday night.
Donald stuffed a third down rush on the Cincinnati Bengals’ final drive of Super Bowl LVI, and on the next play, he forced Joe Burrow into an incomplete pass and clinched the Rams a Super Bowl title at SoFi Stadium.
“I dreamed this,” Donald said postgame to NBC. “This is surreal. … It feels so great.”
Donald’s win came after he came close to the pinnacle of the sport in 2019, falling to the New England Patriots 13-3.
“It’s the best feeling in the world, man,” Donald said. “God is great. I don’t know what to say. It’s a blessing.”
With Matt Stafford and the Rams’ offense struggling throughout much of the game, Donald and the Rams’ defense fueled the Rams’ Super Bowl title. Donald racked up four tackles (three solo), a tackle for loss, two sacks and the game-winning quarterback pressure.
Donald cemented his legacy as perhaps the best Pitt alum in NFL history — and one of the best defensive players in NFL history. Donald finished the postseason with 13 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a couple of tackles for loss and a handful of game-changing plays to lead the Rams to the Super Bowl title.
In Donald’s eighth NFL season, he racked up 84 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and four passes defended in an All-Pro season.
While a report teased Donald’s potential retirement if he were to win the Super Bowl, he didn’t expand upon the question when asked after the win.
Pitt and Clairton alum Tyler Boyd played tough in a loss effort for the Bengals, recording 48 yards on five receptions.
Congratulations to Donald. He is a beast.
And, it is alumnus or alumni (if plural), or alumna (when female). I know it is every site that does it, but alum is not the word.