NFL analyst thinks Aaron Donald deserves a statue at SoFi Stadium
Statues at stadiums are reserved for legends. Michael Jordan at the United Center. Ted Williams at Fenway. Magic Johnson at Crypto.com Arena/the Staples Center.
There is always more room for statues, though, especially since Tom Brady will be immortalized with his own statue at Gillette Stadium this summer.
Advertisement
NFL.com's Adam Rank looked at what other NFL stars should get statues in their honor. Unsurprisingly, he picked Aaron Donald as one of the most deserving to earn his own outside of SoFi Stadium.
"The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was one of the biggest reasons why the Rams won a Super Bowl after they returned home to Los Angeles," Rank wrote. "Aaron was one of the best players at his position — perhaps of all time — throughout his 10-year career, rampaging his way to 111 sacks, 9.5 more than anyone else in the NFL between 2014 and 2023. One question this brings up for me, though: Where does Donald fit in the line of other Rams who also deserve a statue? Like NFL and Rams icon Deacon Jones? And what about Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, members of the 'Forgotten Four' who broke the NFL's color barrier in 1946? I've written about Washington and would love for him to receive the recognition he deserves. There are several great options here, so this is kind of a tough call."
Donald certainly isn't the only Rams player deserving of a statue, but his recent stardom is a good starting point if statues get added to the exterior of SoFi. Donald is one of, if not the best, draft pick from current Rams general manager Les Snead and is all but assured a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible in 2029.
The Rams already plan to celebrate Donald's legacy in Week 12, so maybe a statue isn't far away after all.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Does Aaron Donald deserve a statue at SoFi Stadium?
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
35 minutes ago
- USA Today
Cowboys' 1st-round rookie working to flatten learning curve of life in NFL
Cowboys' 1st-round rookie working to flatten learning curve of life in NFL To go from college ball to the NFL, there is famously a huge learning curve. But Cowboys first-round draft pick Tyler Booker is working to do to that curve what he's done to defensive linemen throughout his playing career. Flatten it. With teams still in the obligatory non-contact phase of their offseason program, though, the massive six-foot-five guard has had to rely on something other than his 320-pound frame to get himself acclimated to playing at the professional level. "The more you know football," the just-turned-21-year-old said this week, "the slower the game becomes." Booker is getting crash-course tutoring these days from his offensive linemates in Dallas. "I couldn't ask for a better room of vets," he explained. "We're a younger room, but there's still a lot of experience within there." That part is debatable. The presumed starting five all obviously have more playing time under their belts than Booker, but the overall youth clearly stands out. Undrafted right tackle Terence Steele is 28 years old and suddenly the group's elder statesman, with 74 career starts. Tyler Smith, Tyler Guyton, and Cooper Beebe are all 24 and have 47, 11, and 16 starts, respectively. Put another way, the front five's combined 148 starts (to date) are still shy of the just-retired Zack Martin's 162. The Cowboys O-line is indeed a young bunch, and they're still very much figuring out how they'll gel. Booker may be the fresh-faced rookie, but he's making sure he's not the weak link. "We're building great chemistry," he said. "If I ever have a question right before the snap, they're able to help me out and lead me in the right direction. But I'm trying to make sure that that doesn't become a habit. I'm very prideful in knowing the offense, and I want to make sure I'm not holding this room back by any means." Booker believes his collegiate tenure at one of the country's most rigorous football programs gives him something of a head start in that regard. He said that the Cowboys' minicamp last week- although notoriously challenging for some rookies, given the hands-off rules that severely limit what linemen can do- was not unlike what he experienced in Tuscaloosa, explaining, "We were still out there going against each other without helmets." And the first-team All-American pointed to a lengthy list of mentors he's been exposed to along the way, dating all the way back to high school. In addition to Nick Saban, Kalen DeBoer, and Crimson Tide assistants Eric Wolford and Chris Kapilovic, Booker rattled off names like George Hegamin, the former Cowboy who was a key backup during the Super Bowl dynasty days, and three-time Pro Bowler Tra Thomas, who, he noted with a knowing smile, "played for another team in the NFL." Both O-line veterans coached him at IMG Academy in Florida. He also shouted out JC Latham, his linemate in both high school and college, who was a first-round draft pick last year for the Tennessee Titans. Booker called Latham his "best friend" and said he's helping him adjust to his first offseason in the pros. Picking up little things from all of them," Booker allowed, "has definitely contributed to my football IQ." Which brings us back to the original problem: flattening out that rookie learning curve so he can make an immediate impact with the new-look 2025 Cowboys. For now, it's a challenge that Booker, who graduated from 'Bama in just three years, is happy to attack mentally, with a little help from his (slightly more) experienced teammates and his formidable Rolodex of football mentors. "The speed of the game, it's so sped up from college to the NFL," he said. "So, them telling me to see the whole picture and be like, 'Okay, obviously you have to see the three-technique or the two in front of you. Well, where's that linebacker aligned? Where's that safety aligned? What's going on on the other side? How is that end playing Those are all things I have to take into account pre-snap, and the more reps I get during minicamp and OTAs, the more I start to see the whole picture, and that's definitely helped me improve to this point." But just wait until the pads go on in Oxnard and the linemen can actually hit each other. That's when the gargantuan Booker can start physically wrestling that sizable learning curve into submission. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Chiefs Turn Heads With Patrick Mahomes Statement on Monday
Chiefs Turn Heads With Patrick Mahomes Statement on Monday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is gearing up for his ninth NFL season, still chasing a fourth championship after falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. Advertisement During his eight playing seasons with the Chiefs, Mahomes has proved himself as one of the best quarterbacks in league history. He has already made five Super Bowl appearances, winning three and has earned two NFL MVP awards. In fact, Kansas City has been to the AFC Championship in every season since Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback for Alex Smith in the 2018 season. On Monday, just one day before their mandatory minicamp, the Chiefs took to social media to highlight Mahomes' upcoming ninth season, sharing a series of photos and videos to hype up fans. "Year 9 won't know what hit it," the Chiefs wrote on X. NFL fans enjoyed Kansas City's statement about Mahomes, taking to social media to leave their thoughts. Advertisement "Yep, we're going back to the Super Bowl," one fan claimed. "Wow man still in awe that he's our QB," added another. "LFGGGGG year 9 back to the superbowl let's get that win!!" wrote a third. "Makes me feel so grown, I was still a young kid when he came along Still remember the joy my dad had when he gave us our first SB in his lifetime," posted a fourth. "we're realistically half way through the Mahomes era already," commented a fifth. "Year 9 already???? I don't want this era of Chiefs football to ever end man," added a sixth. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15).Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mahomes and the Chiefs will open the 2025 NFL season in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, September 5, facing Justin Herbert and AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1. Advertisement Related: Chiefs Turn Heads With Travis Kelce Message on Tuesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Saquon Barkley Reflects on Change to Offseason Approach
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. In his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles, Saquon Barkley put together a strong regular season campaign that had him knocking on the door of history. As he prepares to help the franchise compete for another championship, the star running back opened up on how he approached the offseason differently. Barkley has long been a fierce competitor who is constantly striving to push himself to his limits. However, thanks to proper guidance from those around him, the Eagles' back was implored to prioritize getting his body right. After being a focal point of Philadelphia's offense all year, Barkley was due for well-deserved downtime to let himself recoup physically. During minicamp, Barkley opened up on how this offseason was different compared to previous years. A more lax approach has paid off for him, as he feels his body is in a good place heading into the 2025 campaign. Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on prior to the NFC Championship Game against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field on January 26, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on prior to the NFC Championship Game against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field on January 26, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."You've just got to be smarter, right? You have your moments where you go in there and you grind, you push it," Barkley said, via ESPN. "But the majority of those days is just mobility, conditioning, doing all the things to get your body in shape to perform at a high level. It was a lot of workload [last year], but my body feels great, so that's the most important thing. It wasn't hard because everyone I trust told me basically to sit my ass down for a little bit." Coming off a season that ended in a Super Bowl victory, the Eagles will be looking to avoid the infamous "championship hangover." Hearing that Barkley lightened his offseason load slightly might be concerning for some, but the team is far from worried. In fact, head coach Nick Sirianni was more than pleased with what he saw from Barkley during minicamp. "We kind of monitored everybody as we went," Sirianni said. "We got a lot of good work in, Saquon got a lot of good work in and yeah, I'm pleased with how the offseason program has gone." Despite having to adjust to a new team, Barkley was one of the NFL's most impactful players in 2024. He took home Offensive Player of the Year honors along with finishing third in MVP voting after totaling nearly 2,300 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns. Barkley's dominance didn't end there, as he rushed for 499 yards and five TDs in the postseason. Heading into this season, Barkley is going to be a focal point of the offense once again. Given his documented injury history, managing his workload in the offseason is the smart approach. Now, the star back seems poised to deliver another impressive campaign in year two with the Eagles.
