Retired NFL Legend Aaron Donald Admits He ‘Hated’ 1 Quarterback For Years

Aaron Donald, one of the greatest NFL defensive players in history, has disclosed that he detested one quarterback in particular more than all others. That Donald was not a fan of Tom Brady at all throughout his playing career should not come as a surprise.

As a result of most defenses failing to stop Brady while he was playing, many defenders in the NFL detested him. Donald is not an exception, as it seems that the animosity began when his Los Angeles Rams were defeated 13-3 in an unforgettable Super Bowl by the New England Patriots. That was Brady’s final triumph with the Patriots and it led to a record six Super Bowls.

Although both defenses dominated the Super Bowl, spectators tend to forget about it fast, but Donald never forgot the hurt and resentment he felt after losing to Brady. Donald, who was fortunate enough to win a Super Bowl for himself in 2022, harbored animosity toward Brady for an extended period following their 2019 defeat.

“That broke my heart, I ain’t gonna lie,” Donald said, (first transcribed by RamsWire). “Losing that Super Bowl was like, I ain’t gonna lie, I was down for like two months. I hated Tom Brady for like three years after that. I ain’t gonna lie, I was mad.”

It appears that Donald’s animosity toward Brady lessened after he succeeded in dominating the NFL and winning a Super Bowl. But Donald acknowledged that he detested the renowned quarterback for those three years in between.

The fourth quarter of that Super Bowl saw the score deadlocked at three points, but Brady ultimately found a way to shut out the Rams with 10 straight scores to seal the victory. Brady, however, did not play a significant role in the game; in fact, it was possibly his poorest Super Bowl performance, win or lose.

Brady completed the game with 262 passing yards, one interception, and zero touchdowns. The Rams defense undoubtedly performed its job in defeating Brady and the Patriots, but the offense was unable to generate any momentum against the superior defense of the New England Patriots. In that Super Bowl, Bill Belichick and the team’s defense put on an all-time performance, giving up just 3 points per game to the league’s greatest offense ever.

Donald and NFL fans were fortunate to win his own Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals, which helped to lessen his anger and hurt towards Brady for denying him the opportunity to win one.

Brady and Donald are the two most talented defense and offensive players of that time period, respectively, and they will both soon be inducted into the Hall of Fame. For NFL fans, seeing both of these icons at the same time was amazing, and it makes sense that there was animosity between them while they were players.