Aaron Donald: Opens up, Next Chapter, 1st summer without NFL training camp & family bond | The Pivot

I be thinking I had money till I be around mother with money money bro he turned down 30 he left 30 on the table I'm good you know what guys and I ain't playing the first game y bit what up my boy yes sir Pitts appreciate you baby hey he don't walk like he ready to retire light on should retire no more field work man just lifting weights and maybe some cardio or something but that's it but I like to look good that's all that is you got to let it go sooner or later Dam no gut man be a dad this is one guy you don't listen he hasn't worked out since he retired yeah I think I went to a chubby stage when I was a kid so I went to the kid at the pool that wanted to swm with his T-shirt on so I never I don't want to be that kid no more you got me messed up and he got abs and say oh okay this was this I got ass keep my shirt on I'm a t-shirt Dad they s pinning it I F they here to witness it my people feeling militant when I'm feeling me up on the mission got me up knowing me I got the key only Vision I can trust trust Limitless [ __ ] ping it I here to witness it my people feeling milant way I'm feeling get me up on the mission get me up no me I got the key only Vision I can trust trust Limitless n to me P it I here to witness it man uh Aaron Donald welcome to the pivot this is Freddy T sir chanon Crowder I'm Ryan Clark this is the pivot a part of Fanatics I mean illustrious decade in the league man Defensive Rookie of the Year Defensive Player of the Year three times 10 Time pro bowler eight time all pro I mean the accolades speak for themselves I think the one you're most proud of though is Super Bowl champion yes couldn't wait to get that experience that because you know through the whole my whole career I heard so many stories about the confetti and the whole experience and seeing it on TV when the Steelers did it it's like you can't put into words until you in that moment and get the experience it like my wife could asked me the night before the game you going to cry if y'all win man I ain't going to cry look at it look at it it's just a different experience cuz all that hard work you put in to see it pay off that's the ultimate goal right there so it was like I accomplished everything I wanted to do that's all only thing I was chasing I was just like like you know what I'm saying you just can breathe now so it just it felt good it felt real good you had the you had the letter written after that after the Super Bowl you you you were ready to retire you had a conversation I know that you had a conversation you had a conversation with sea that brought you back for two more years you worked it out financially you know you said that's what it was about you accomplished so much and you finally got that Super Bowl what was it about that conversation or for that time that made you feel like you had a little bit more to give when I first came in Le I was going to do eight years and I was going to be done I just happened to win a Super Bowl my eighth year so I just I just was a guy that never wanted to play forever I was satisfied I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish and more I was like so I'm complete you know I talked to Sean he he said some things and me said some good things we had like probably like a two-hour conversation at like I was in Pittsburgh it's probably late at night 12:00 it had to be like 12:00 in the morning but we talking all night he just he's he's saying some things that's making sense I'm like all right we if we could if it come if it makes sense from a financial standpoint then I'll do it you know and we got the business that handled and I was like made a two-year commitment to try to experience that again cuz it was kind of hard to walk away after experienceing something like that it's like it's hard to just walk away from that cuz it's like it's addictive feeling you know you you want to experience that again you want to experience all that again all the perks that come with it after winning the Super Bowl it's a lot that come with it man if you you you you know they don't know it's just me I wish wish everybody got the opportunity experience that because it's just a lot to come with winning the Super Bowl and I was like I just want to try to win that again experience that again so you talked about a number of times you bring up sap and Randall and them boys like bro why take that from the game bro you was one of the most dominant defensive players ever and at D tackle that [ __ ] hard because they one of the only two names I can bring up I don't know if you got any more you know what I'm saying like I feel why take that from the even now bro even seeing you and looking at you and see how sh bro you could still be a pro bowler next year why take it from the game I'm complete man and I and for me I don't have the passion to play football no more so it's like I'm a guy that train all year round I'm not a guy that take I might take a week off after the season's over and I'm in a weight room I'm I'm training again so it's like it's non-stop work for me it's a lot lot that go into it that the world don't get to see a lot of people don't see and it's like you get exhausted after a while just I don't got the urge to do that all year round no more I don't got the urge to go out there and do Camp I don't got the urge to go through 17 games again I just don't got the urge to play football and and it's a disservice to me that just go out there for a check all like right this this amount of money on the table I can just get that and be done and just get B that's not the way I'm built that's not the way I am and I can't disrespect the game because it did it did so much good for me like I can't disrespect the football guyss like that so I just you know I'm I'm at a point where I I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish in more um was blessed to you know create the financial stability that I did to be able to create my own so um it's just nothing left for me to you know the table that I want to do if you didn't have your amazing wife which I love your y'all's interview I told you before the show y'all's interview she did when you retired and your kids would you still play if you didn't have that I I can't even answer that cuz I got that you know what I'm saying I heard you talk about it like yeah now you want to be dad now you want to be a husband but it's cuz I got you know I got 11-year-old daughter I got a 8-year-old son I got a 2-year-old I got a 10mon old so you know my now my 8-year-old want to play football you know I want to be a part of that I want my daughter want to do um softball I want to be a part of that so that that tied to it too you know as far as wanting to be with my kids more experienc stuff you know instead of missing things you got camping it's a lot that go into it but you know for me it's just I'm I'm I'm like I'm complete Lil Man Two yeah he's only two everybody think he's four or five he's only two we need stocking him right now hey let me just put me through workout hey what can we put on it mon I got I got I got that metal American Express he he just put me through a workout but no you know what though just just being on this side haven't been on this side since uh 2011 for myself and then these guys uh chenning probably retired around the same time in RC a couple years later it's rare to see guys do what you've done to have that mindset like guys really fight the notion of of not being able to play no more and they fight to play longer and they fight against retirement are you as excited for this aspect or this excited for the next chapter cuz you know um got a lot going on obviously made some good Investments um my ready brand sports drink made some that's doing great got my development company that we got our first project we should be improved in July um Donald Development Group first project in Pittsburgh 38 units Community Center so got some great opportunities that's coming that you know going to come to fruition real soon so got a lot of things going on that I'm super excited about man and like I felt like to answer your question a lot of people fight the decision trying to last longer than what they should but I'm a guy that accomplished like I had Big Dreams but I surpassed anything that I thought I was even going from just putting a body at working so it's like all right you check that off from an IND individual standpoint from a defensive player I accomplish everything you can do as an individual then from Team success I accomplish everything you can from Team success from the lowest to the highest right so it's like and and on on top of that financially was able to create what I created from playing this game and doing it the right way so it's like I don't have no second guessing ain't no like you know it's not I don't have to feel like I got to exhaust my body more to try to do this or do this cuz I did it already and my 10 years that I was blessed to play this game and have the career I had in a short amount of time cuz it it Fly by so fast you know I remember coming in St Louis as a rookie you know and then now 10 years 10 years I'm like God Le last year was the year that's the first year I feel old cuz all the young we all the Young players they playing music I'm like what is they playing I feel like I'm complaining about the music they playing and stuff I feel like oh my I'm like yeah this is definitely going to be my last year you know what I'm saying but you know what I'm saying it's just when you got things set up and you do it the right way and get yourself set up and you put the body at work and and put yourself in a position that for you to be satisfied for you to be comfortable and and for you to have a right mindset to walk away from the game and and not second guess it you know it's it's really a good feeling and then I'm like I'm super excited about the next chapter when you're in the building I know the first thing we all probably did was you know we wake up to that alarm clock hit and say damn got to get to this building like what what are your days like what do you wake up the first thing you do when you wake up nowadays nowadays wake up with the kids hang with the kids for a minute do what I need to do do my meetings anything I need to do meeting wise Zoom calls might do do some workouts cuz you know I can work out two three times now like you know what I'm saying like I'm just you got time so just working out doing my Mee and call staying busy being a family man pretty much so from the outside Aaron donal's career looks like one high after the other one individual accomplishment after the other that led to the biggest team accomplishment but before you got there you know cuz I heard you mention how great the confetti was you were supposed to bring your daughter some confetti from the first Super Bowl you were in and you lost that and your mom says like you've always been about family and your daughter ask hey pop hey Dad Where's My Confession weren't you supposed to bring me some what was that feeling like for you because you were a man that didn't fail a lot when it came to football that that broke my heart I ain't going to lie um even after that one losing that Super Bowl was like I ain't going to lie I was down for like two months I hated Tom Brady for like three years after that like I ain't going to lie I was mad like then know I'm telling my daughter we going to win this game it was it was one you know 18 19 years we was on fire I'm like ain't nobody can't nobody stop us I'm like we going to handle business we going to win I told we going like you going daddy going to bring you on the field we going to play this confetti I can't wait Daddy I remember walking off the field seeing my daughter CED I'm like I just like like I feel like I let her down you know I made a promise before I even did what I need to do on the football field so I always told myself if I ever once I get back to a Super Bowl if I ever get the opportunity to be get back at the Super Bowl I'm going to do everything in my power to do more to help make sure that we win this game and everything played out was like a like a story book type ending so it was tough but you know found the way to to get it done and get to experience it we all talk about the overall team accomplishment and you know you're from Pittsburgh you were right next to our building there's no building in the world that's more about team accomplishments than that one but there's also a difference when you play in the Super Bowl and you made something happen or you were a part of it the way that game ended it was if this man is considered so widely by many the greatest to ever play the position one of the greatest to ever play the game at any position he's supposed to put his imprint on this game was the ending of that game sweeter because it came down to Aaron Donald it was like I said it was a story book type ending it feel like somebody wrote that you the NFL must have scripted that one but it was it just played out like however it was supposed to play out I feel like winning the Super Bowl be good but being a guy that made plays key plays to help us to win the game is different it's like everything that come with it is different the experience is different the feelings different it's just like I don't know I I people ask me this question I it's hard to explain it because there's so many emotions that just keep hitting me and you go back to that Mo you know everything that was going on this huh no it's emotions just raw emotions everything I do is off raw emotions I ain't a guy that like I get this I make this play I'm G do this I'm G do that my emotion just take over whatever happened out there happens man and um the way everything played out that game man it was a nerve-wracking game but I knew we was going to find a way to win it man cuz you know we had a lot of good veteran guys that came and help us like V you had Odell obviously Cooper cup Matthew Stafford big wit you know so to get the experience out with them guys man and you know find a way to get that done it it was definitely special bro the the I want to go back to the loss though failing cuz you don't fail much you ain't failing College you Bal out allamerican first round pick go out start balling off bat and then like was that the first time you really felt like you failed no I had times I felt like that but on that top of a level on that on that stage yes you know what I'm saying cuz I felt like I had opportunities to make plays that I didn't getting preparing for a Super Bowl there's a lot that come with it definitely didn't a lot of media you just I just want to play football I don't want to do all the you want to go stage with the team and you got to do all this me I'm like come on it just it was just too much so you overwhelmed so you know you wasn't prepared for that I you know you didn't know you don't know what to expect when it com to a Super Bowl as far as not the football part off the off the field stuff and I I just didn't do get it done man I let my team down and be a be a guy that had the season I had and didn't finish it the way I needed to finish it from a personal standpoint I just didn't do what I needed to do do enough so I was like you know you you found a way everybody need to get motivated by something and that's something that just motivated me to like I was like that's the only thing I'm chasing now you know it wasn't about individual accolades it wasn't about individual success I was like I'm I'mma P the body work and I'm going do everything I can to dominate and take over game or do whatever I can so I can do what I can help this team to to be the last team standing and and be a world champion so that was my that was my mindset that was my grind after that so what was it like growing up in Pittsburgh and then getting to College University pit and seeing these guys coming off when was the last year you guys won the championship was it last one we won was the 08099 2010 at pit what was my firstman year growing up the whole steel curing you know the the history of the Steelers I mean I'm I I grew up a fan of the Steelers I can only imagine someone like you born and raised there coming up in you know in that region how like take us back to to your Youth and you know your matriculation throughout grew up in interner City of Pittsburgh Lincoln lingon grew up in a football home was blessed to had a mom and dad I got older brother older sister in the house that look up to and you know to keep you on track obviously um you got people outside of the home that you know Temptations and things like that my thing since I was five or six years old I was always like I want to make it to the NFL you know know and that's what everybody want to do coming six five or six years old I started playing when I was 5 years old I quit when I was five came back when I was six and been playing and been playing ever since until till now but that was we was a football family man and you know grew up watching the Steelers big Steelers fans um you know when they was at the Super Bowl we we had a Super Bowl party at my uncle's house all the family there so you know you got a lot of good memories of seeing him come down crashing hitting people Paul mly jumping over doing some crazy stuff Harrison you got um Porter you got big Casey Hampton one of the you know biggest guy super quick though you know what I'm saying you know face mask on his face so he was so quick so like nobody did it better nobody and I and I don't understand why people don't talk about that guy enough but you know but that's different for me cuz I got to watch him a lot penetrate Casey was too gapping I mean he he played his him do some stuff when he he would [ __ ] that stands a little bit hit that quick swim and get in the backfield like that and make a tfl so I like stuff like that you know he can as a nose type youed to tast two G but you can split and make the big plays when you need to make the you got take chances so just seeing that growing up coming out of you know High School obviously you know I'm only 61 and you ain't the biggest guy you 260 I you think you get the 300 lb hell no I can't get the 300 lb I don't want to be 300 lb so you know coming out he was always you know people don't know if you going to really be able to translate what you did to high school to college cuz you ain't the biggest guy so you know coming out I had Toledo akan in the University of Pittsburgh the only you know three offers I had wow um and I was and I was actually really I was good I was the same player I am now in high school I was making the same plays had two interceptions had touchdowns so um I felt like I was good um but you know people a think I was the biggest guy and you know it's a part of the game I just kept working you know pit was my dream school I only I really didn't watch college growing up anyway I watched pit a little bit so you know I went to pit you know grinding to do what I needed to do had the opportunity to you know end up having some a good career there um we went to the ACC my last year dominated that and you know won a bunch of awards all americ then they like maybe you could be a first round pick but I you did that in college but I don't think you can do to translate that NFL I'm like God damn what else I got to do you know you go to the Senior Bowl you dominate you going to be able to Pish for but you a't going to be able to stop the run in the NFL that's what that's what the D line coaches was telling me I'm like then you go and you run a four six of the combat like maybe he going he going to go in the first round but you never know so and St Louis Rams at the time took a chance on me coach fish coach W and them guys um Greg Williams um gave me an opportunity and then you know was in a best situation for me with a great D line great D line coach and then the rest is history for me I have a question about Coach W who by the way cried when they drafted you Rand carthon said he went up to him and he was like man we got your guy and his head was down on the desk and when he looked up he had a tear in his eye cuz he obviously believed and knew you could be who you were when you go go to your top 30 visit and y'all bust in the room with lesne and uh and Jeff Fisher what do you remember the most about the Johnny Manzel room I just remember Johnny manelle on the screen with just shorts on no shirt on I'm looking I just it was awkward you know cuz everybody like why the hell is he in here and W is like this is Aaron Don this is going to be a first round pick and I'm you know W taller than me so I'm looking up looking like how y'all doing like they like get your ass out type of thing so it just felt super awkward and told me man if you there I know they going to probably go offense to first pick um cuz they had two picks in the first round second and then 13 he's like but if you there at 13 we taking you I'm like but that's Robert Quinn just came off 19 and a half s Brockers was there Brock they had big Kendall they had Chris Long yeah Will hay so they had depth and they had a lot of dline I'm like all right well but you know I'm thinking y'all already loaded y'all don't need me so I'm thinking I'm going to go to Detroit probably Detroit Dallas um so I ain't know then 13 come you get that call and then I'm like wow like that's that's all you waiting for that opportunity to be like yeah I'm in an NFL that's you how longer I dreamed this I'm me I'm he I made it now it's time to like remember crying with my family crying like a baby it's it's go time it's time to work now and then you know went in there with the right mindset head W was a I think I remember I was in there early I was in otaa practice I'm watching film by myself I break down film all the time when I first got there I had him break me a film down to Warren Sap and John Randall and um ly Glover just guys that had success in the NFL they had my body type just to watch them see see stuff that they did see similarities and body movements and things like that just studying and I remember him coming in he racing the board he said he looked at me he said I'm going to be in here I'm going be coaching I'm going be saying a lot of [ __ ] I don't want you listen to nothing I say I just want you when you go on the football field I just want you to go out there and play the same thing you did in college is do here and I want to learn from you I'm like okay I said all right coach but for me that would like motivation he opened the door like just go do what whatever you did to get here do that right now I don't care if you jump out your Gap just make the play Just you you gave me Freedom I'm like I ain't did [ __ ] in this league yet I ain't did [ __ ] in practice or nothing I started doing that flying around making plays at practice like damn maybe he might be just like that you do then it's cam I see what you do with the pads on the same thing flying around making plays so I'm having a coaster like that that gave me an opportunity to believe me right away just to go out there and just play like and then having a good group a good great D line group around me so it was like it it's hard to fail with with question this a urban legend that cuz there's no way you did this in high school there is no way you looked at your coach coach Gibbs every like every snap so he could tell you what pass rush mve to use no that's not true okay he he he gave me some he gave me a lot of good tips but not every play though you know what I'm saying you Coach G my dog we we still talk to this day after every NFL game he you know you looked good you should did did did the same stuff we always did but um you know he definitely was a key part to you know the player that I became from you know listen to him he's the guy why this is why I take coaching now because of Coach Gibbs um early early in high school hardheaded you know my dad gave me the green light to kind of you know get up you know don't you only had one pass rush move when you first got to high school who was it I don't know they he wouldn't say it was multiple you know I had I had I was he wouldn't say he said you had he said you had one rush move it said you could do it until you learn some more yeah I did he's you're right what was the one can we load out cuz now he said you all I did was all I did was the swim the quick swim in high school I did the quick swim is soon as the ball snap I'm just using my quickness and beating the guy before you get all this snapping I'm in the back field then that's when he started learn teaching me the swipes and different things and once he started doing that like in high school that's when I started get the interceptions and making the big plays and multiple plays like you got beat up by a whole team he helped they tried to jump me then he in there throwing them with we always got I a't get beat up my whole team tried to jump me at a scrimmage man he tackled his quarterback we W supposed to tackle the quarterback and they put hands on man it's football man I don't want hear none of that the Le we ain't getting paid for this that was high school is that why you beat people in the head with helmets when you did when I did that when at practice what practice Bengals you see me Swinging helmets or did you just see me with helmets two of did you see me Swinging helmets to did I swing to him did you see me I I I saw I saw a projectile that wasn't I was The Peacemaker that day it just happening I just I don't know how that was peaceful I hate to say when you mad man there was the they had an offensive lineman that kept fighting one of the one of our guys the whole practice since one on1 I'm like and he kept doing it he did at least five times I looked at Sean we you know you get your breaks before and I looked at Sean I said listen Sean I've been breaking I've been a peacemaker I've been breaking up these fights this whole practice I said if they do it again I I'm going feel like they think they going to think they they trying to bully us I'm going to shut the practice down he said Aon I understand I understand I'm just letting you know coach and that was that we was cool wasn't mad wasn't no we going first play come out he threw a punch at him they start fighting I grabs dude he slows him down my guys start beating him up and I don't know if you ever been to a football bra but it's just a bunch of people and then you just like you got to protect yourself and I don't know I blacked out from there I don't know what happened but I just remember come getting pushed out the pound thinking the whole team coming and then it it was just a blackout moment but it was just I was The Peacemaker then it just it just happened how it happened you know he did to become The Peacemaker you know I got to protect my guys and protect myself too it's the worst to be the little dude though in the team fight cuz like with little with little dudes I'm cutting up wide receiver running back but then you run up to like Aon you like [ __ ] no I'm 6'1 you I'm going against 67 you how you I'm looking at this I got grab him a few TR before he grabbed me so how you think Devonte Freeman felt though when you had that he started with me that whated what red daddy said on Friday no no we sat down uh with Coach uh last year yeah last year during the training camp show and a lot of that conversation was about not having you know the the the amount of Veteran leadership in a locker room that you guys were used to having in the previous years obviously you know Coupe was there you was there but he said that you guys had the most uh rookie on the roster in the entire NFL what was it like going through that season you know contemplating retirement and you know setting up for post football did that have any involvement in your decision what was that like I ain't going to lie going into it getting ready for Camp I was a little little disappointed cuz I'm like I knew it was going to be my last year year 10 I already knew this was going to be my last year I'm like and I came back to trying to win another Super Bowl and I'm like I ain't ain't bring no veteran help I'm like got a bunch of young guys so you don't know what to expect with that you know you don't know how these young guys is going to come in how they going to play but I'm like as long as they bringing guys that's they got their mindset to work right so I don't want no guys that's like half fast and like just follow my lead follow the the Le the veteran we had Cooper cup you know he's working Matthew Stepford he's working I know I'm working so as long as you follow them key guys and and learn and see how they working and everything going to play how supposed to play out so I didn't know what to expect I was a little like I'm like I don't know if I can do this this is going to be a long season cuz I already know it's going to be triple teams and like I ain't going to get no help but honestly man it end up being a super fun year for me I enjoy every moment of it I just took it all in cuz going into my year 10 I knew it was going to be my last year so I just my my mindset that that year was just like just take it all in like I'm just a kid playing low League football G like every experience enjoy it like enjoy the young guys I had so much fun with them guys and just and to see them grow from Camp to being a team that make it to a playoff that you know having a cold start and getting back hot and like man it was so fun to watch these guys to watch them guys grow and had a success and be a part of the team and like I had more fun than what I thought it was going to have man and and I felt like I was able to they they s me out the right way I felt like you know so I appreciate that man it was frustrating at first but end up turning end up being one of them you know fun years and exciting years so they sent you out the right way but I think uh deservingly you sent coach Morris out the right way how did you feel when you heard that he got the head coaching job was happy soon as I seen it before I can even text him he was calling me he told me thank you I said thank you what I do he like man you did this he always say that but I was just happy man cuz I know obviously he been waiting to get the opportunity again me having them personal conversations with him over the years and you know me personally we you know that's my dog like beond football you know we I got a real relationship with him real love um so to see him do that man I wish nothing but the best you know I'll be watching you know hopefully they have a lot of success you know I was proud of them so I tell everybody I retired in November of my last year I was sitting on the sofa I could barely walk around my house during the week like what it took for me to get ready for the game was way too much for the reward of the game anymore for me we weren't winning I was in Washington and I just remember going into the last game knowing it knowing that it was going to be the last one and the last play just walking off the field and I thought about every moment that got me there mhm you knew that going into the last game as well you just didn't know when the last game would be cuz you guys made the playoffs when you're when you're leaving the field in Detroit what were those moments like for you right after the game end after a loss like that I'm a guy that's you I'm mad like I don't talk to nobody but after that man I'm like gave my dline coach coach heny a hug you know I see my my family was there in the I'm w at the family the fans say yeah I'm in a good spirits cuz I I'm just I'm just taking it all in man cuz I know that's my last time suited up walking off a football field get after to playing some ball so it's like I just I just I was just taking all the moments in man and like you know looking around like just you know thanking everybody getting everybody that you know hug walking up walking before I walked in the locker room Sean was like this gave Sean a big hug he like this this is it said yeah and then he said his words and said we we was going to talk later went in there um crony was in there I gave him a big H told him thank you I don't know if he knew I was saying thank you but gave math G you know and then I remember just you know taking my shoulder P off I got on one KN I'm untying my Spike and my eyes just start watering I'm I'm like damn I'm like you know I ain't want to C I A want to be like that guy I Ain going make a scene like this my but I'm just like damn this is the last time in the locker room after playing a game that I'm going to be taking my spikes off like and I sat there for a one just like just absorbing and taking it all in man it was like been playing since I was 5 or 6 years old 32 I was 32 years at 32 years old at the time so I was like that was a long journey to you know be at this point to be like this is the last time I'm ever going to play foot football again so it was like just a lot of moments a lot of things just hit you at once man and you just you just thankful for the opportunity that you had and to be in the position that you in and to be able to leave the way you get to leave on your own terms and a lot of people don't get the opportunity to do that bro like you already talk about the respect of the game and your respect in the game like what is there a moment cuz people BR you one of the best to ever do it LT is my favorite player and when your ass started playing I had bite my tongue like [ __ ] that [ __ ] might got LT but but you but you got it's different times though like the game changed so much from then to even before I got in leag to when I was there to now it's different than when of them it's just different Generations is there a moment in your career or just somebody said something to you some OG or some current player just walked up to you where the respect that you have in this game that we all have respect for you that you really saw like I don't Aaron Donald's a name in football uh I would my rookie year we played um the Chargers and rivers came up to me after the game you know shook my hand he said and you going to be a monster in this league you going to be a special player he said something in them type of words and I'm like I appreciate it and I remember watch you know I'm I'm a football guy I watch football I watch all sports and you know you know the key guys and I just from a four I always respected him from you know from what he did as a as a you know as a football player in this league and then the ha somebody I'm a rookie I ain't really did nothing yeah I had a couple good games that's how I thought like I don't look you know I'm like I got to do it again and again every single week so for a guy that been in this league a long time to see that and see the potential in me you know it was like all right may maybe all right let's just keep going so I was just a guy that never got too high got too low just kept working I just stayed in my own world like even when people praise you and ain't like yeah I made it I'm that I'm this I'm like like I still got to work you know what I'm saying you have a good year that's old now I got to have another good year cuz you can't I can't live off what I did in the past I got to you know be now in the present so that's my mindset just to continue to work continue to you know find ways to get better seeing your family in Detroit you know I don't know if they went to every away game but I'm sure they knew as well yeah it was possible for it to be over you know we just got all kind of great connections I mean you're from Pittsburgh I played in Pittsburgh I went to LSU your wife went to LSU so now that lets me know you're also a genius not only one of the greatest athletes to ever play football but did you really propose twice yeah CA you the first time I I proposed without a ring why did why did you propose then if you didn't have it just spur we was in laay Hawaii on like it's like a private island we did our first trip and like she I would you know you got love and you you know she's but you don't never know until you really like I I got the be with her got the experience like the time with her I'm like God damn this we like 4 days we extended a little longer I'm like I ain't trying to I'm enjoying this with my with you know she she might she's the one I'm like I just went in the motion I got on one KNE like hey will you marry me she thinking I'm playing I'm like I looked at him I'm serious she said yeah and then she thought I was playing the whole time like I'm I'm serious I really proposed to I just didn't have a ring so I have to propose to her again but yeah I proposed to her twice encroachment hey you lined up all sides I'm in I was in I got I got big eyes likee now I need to know the the the prior 15 minutes till you proposing without a ring it was off ra motions what were y doing it wasn't like I wasn't even like I'm going to do this it was just whatever we was doing whatever the mo whatever the the the mood was what was going on was like I felt like that's what what I wanted to do at that time and that's what I did she was going to say yeah or no so when you went to Hawaii this was no way to plan wasn't planned at all I wasn't like I'm going propose to her it was just it was just all raw emotion and love and all that so you had such a great time in Hawaii for four days no it we was it was longer than four days okay that you realized while you hey while he was out for a while he was like Hall of nights mama I ain't never coming home but me and my wife me and my we was friends before we was in a relationship so we were like real we was cool so she would hang we would have we wasn't like nothing like we was just like hanging like this we have a drink we just talk it up she know like personal stuff relationship stuff like it was she was the homie she it just we got to we started being around each other so much we started getting going get to know each other a little different and I like dang she started to Growing me like hold up man like it was that one time she didn't come at come to the house and hang I'm like damn I wonder what she doing right now but I don't want but I don't want to text her you know and I found out she was thinking the same thing I'm like you know everything happened for a reason man I just I'm blessed to have the wife I got man cuz she's definitely going to be she's a huge part of you know everything I got going on off the field obviously she's my she ain't just my wife she's my partner in business um she's an amazing mom she's an amazing stepmom so family lover you know so I'm just you know I'm in a position that I got a lot of great people around me got a a great person next to me so woman so nice is what's Island my Lulu it's call it's calling naive he like a private island out here no you guys uh I your your relationship is amazing I think that that interview you know when you announced retirement that first interview I think it was perfect how um did she prepare like she's like she's amazing at she really good at what she does like the questions and everything whole set up journalism LS L it's what we do what we do so she journalism backg shout out to I mean cuz it seems as if she has a journalism background with the question she asked no she just she just so this was the thing when I said I always told her I was going um when I was retired sheit like let me do your first interview when you retired I said all right and I retired sheit like I'm doing your first interview cuz that that's when a lot of people started reaching out like you want the interview I like like she's like no no you said I get the first interview so I like wifey goingon to do the first interview and she she did all that by herself we we set up at my childhood home obviously it look a little different now they got to readed but that was my childhood home we was in the living room and you know had a little mosa before the the the you know before the interview to relax a little bit and she answered the questions and I ain't know what she was going to ask she just started off and did it how she did it you know she did good it it was great I was going to ask you if it was did you kind of get a sneak peek of some of the questions she just I think she asked me a couple questions that she was going to ask but that was all I didn't know what was going I know how going to the childhood home is that still you still own it own we still we still we doing the whole house we pretty much did the whole downstairs we did the whole weight room downstairs in the basement okay doing some work at it right now so that's a that's a forever home we ain't never getting rid of that home so you know you said that pit was your dream school and I have this conversation with a lot of people that they don't see pit the way I sort of got to see it and within my time there you know I was a little bit after Larry uh I was there obviously during your career and also derl Rivas that's three of the best players to play football in the modern era but are going to be talked about as the best player at their position during the modern era do you ever think about like what you've added to the legacy of that school on the heels of what those two were able to do um yeah know you know we we talk a lot of trash you know everybody like pit ain't this and I'm like we we got a lot of um Hall of Fame and a lot of great like who who Tony D said Marina like what he went there like I'm like yeah man so um just just to be up there like going back and and being in the indoor seeing my you know my banners hanging up or going back to the aronna performance center and walking through and seeing my picture and seeing my name on top of it you know that's that's crazy that's Legacy that's that's there that's going to be there forever you know that's that's something that I can show my kids my my kids get to see and when they as they grow they can see and like people like that's that's special for me man it's like cuz I always wanted a lot from this game but it gave me so much more that I thought was even you know possible man and it's like my eyes watering but it's crazy man I wanted great things I wanted to get myself at a certain point but just working man and grinding and and never allowing negativity or positivity to affect where I'm trying to go and just stand like this everything that came from this game from just piting the body working it's like it's crazy are you still surprised how good you were this [ __ ] like it's still hard to let it all it's so much like I don't really think everything sunk in yet you know there's certain things like you know some like even when I retired and the Rams pit out you know they little highlights and I'm watching that early in the morning I'm like cuz you it's just so much man cuz I just see the I just know how much work I put into behind the scenes I know the film I know the the training I know you know the recovery stuff I had to do I know all that that to get to myself to be the player that I had to be it's like but I I just you know you you dream big but when you surpass things that you dream it's like it's it's different man you know what I'm saying it's different yeah is there a is there a player that you probably never got an opportunity to play with that you wish could have been on the D line next to you actually you got flirt your [ __ ] I would have love to have them as as my nose tackle I got to play with vau I would have said vanau but we got V I was so happy we got him that year oh my gosh I was so happy Chris Jones you know I seen him early when he was you know before he became more of a household name you know I seen I used to be a guy that like he used to already like I me we played him in that game we played the Chiefs here like 50 to 54 I remember he was like man how the hell you keep getting all these sacks you just had 14 now you at 16 I keep trying to catch you and every time I try to catch you so that's when I first seen him we we exchanged Jersey and that's when I really started to pay attention to him more and I was like yeah he going to be he going to be a so a guy like that so for me it's more interior rushers that I wish I would have got the opportunity to play with than Edge guys like Edge guys is good but you know you still going to get the slide and and things like that and all they can do they can still chip down with the tackle and all they do is bring that tight end and help slow that end down so if if if anything I rather more of a um a presence like when I had Sue that year just him his name alone took a lot of pressure off me and that's why them sacks was like they was coming like three four at a time you know so um but a guy that I even when he was like was that two years ago I think flusher cops they had released with the Eagles then he went back like what you I just seen it let you go what you about to do CU we got the same agent so I called my agent like tell Flex um you know coming this way I know you're three Tech but tell get some no work over here man you know what I'm saying if you if if you can go a step further that year when Gurley was going crazy that was the Super Bowl year was that 19 189 1819 if you can build your alltime D line you got got to add another DT To The Ends next to you from the the greats to stop what yeah from all of the greats to stop what too many football players got okay I say that's it's way too and you talking about more in my generation or guys I seen play like whoever you want to put on you obviously but you got to add three more guys four for three so I'm I'm put myself at three Tech okay a nose tackle in his prime I'm G just say in my a more I'm G do flex your [ __ ] I'm put him at at my at my nose tackle so I'm at three he's at nose at my end [ __ ] there's so many good Edge rushers now you got to start the run too yeah I'm I got to Pi V out there cuz V he can do it all and then he's he's he's smart and then he he's perfect with the games when you run games with him I love running games with him so I got to put van out there and then um I for a big body guy I got to do like a um you got TJ watt out there you got monster miles Garett out there you got damn when c m when he's on fire that's some power coming on the other ear to collapse the whole other side of let me pick a ma out there I need some a guy that's going to work some power he can collapse the whole that I just want to put a little pressure on I like that cuz I got with the speed a little finesse and he going hit you with some power me power finesse uh you got you got big Flex that's explosive as hell quick as hell and then you got khil mat that's just powerful and he got some bability I like yeah I like that dline that's a fun that's a fun dine that's a hell of a fun you you are a workout a holic now right talk a little bit about big Archie and your brother just working out at the career been sort of showing you and instilling that fire in you that that's how you prepare to be great so we and my dad we for years we always laugh he like always say you you was like You Was preparing me to be a before we even know what we was doing right so at 12 years old you know he I was l a lazy kid you know um so my dad was like I'm G to start making you work out with me so I'm like God damn I gotta work out with hey day now you know you know you come home from school you got to work out in the mornings you got work out so you know at first it was like he kind of forced me to do it then you know once you start getting on a routine you start doing it you know start seeing a little change in your body like everybody can't see it but I see I see a little muscle coming right here and there I'm like hold up okay let me keep doing it then you start seeing a change in your body you I'm start you get kind of get addicted to it so you know it became a just came a part of my life to the point where you know in high school you know we wake up 4:30 in the morning before we went to school and I work up with my dad and you know then you know showerer and then go to school and then go to football practice later that day and and do everything with the team so um it it it just became routine man from just working and seeing a change and you get addicted to that to the point where you know my dad used to wake me up to the point I used to be I had to wake my dad like hey 4:30 it's time man we got I got school in a couple hours let's go you know what I'm saying so um him stealing not work at the to me of the young age just transpired to so much more than what we thought it was going to be man you know I always thank my dad can't thank him enough cuz you know when it come to my work ethic and the way I am um just in my everyday life now he always told me you know I'm working out you going to see a change in your body but you going to see the way you car yourself in your everyday life is going to change too and I'm like all right man and then you know you start doing them things you start seeing all the hard work pay off all the you know you start doing things differ everyday life now you a little bit more structured you know you work a little harder at practice now you know you had to do five laps but you going to be the extra guy that's going to stay you going to do 10 now you know then the people around you see that now I can't let them out work now they with me but they don't really know you you being a leader just off what you doing and they following everything you do now you making everybody better so just getting addicted to that man that my dad is still into me at a young age and it grew the what it was and bro I I've heard you say before I think it it probably was when your wife interviewed you and you retired and you said you're almost opening up the door for a 6'1 265lb DET tackle I don't think you are I think you're a outlier I think you're an Aber aberration you're not opening the door for nobody your height and waight to be a detac I think you just a bad [ __ ] that choke the [ __ ] out of people no you give opportunities now it ain't like a guy that's that size that weight before they were like n we need a guy that's 63 64 300 lb but if you see the guys that's getting drafted now guys is built yeah guys has built a little different you got guys that the tackles is 61 62 now they ain't really looking for you know the cuz the game changed everything so lateral it's all about you know it's different now so you really don't need them yeah you don't really need them big body guys but not first down now you know so um the game changed and you know on top of that I felt like just open up the door for a lot just same same thing I say about aino Atkins you know he wasn't the biggest guy but I I watch the Steelers all the time they played them twice a year and he used to throw them office Ling around like manhandle yeah so you know he opened up the door for me because you know he was probably 62 6 I I think it was more like 62 he like my height when I met him so you know he opened up the door for me and then you know you do the same things and you now these coaches and and these people that's going through these rooms and and looking at these players is like maybe that can be the next that person I could be the next that's that's all they looking for that's how I feel like that's how it work you know but you you're violent you got to be that's football where did your violence come from because you ain't even we came when we come to the Rams Camp last year last year you had a look like you you have a look he's mean you're you're a not a nice guy I'm glad you said it his daddy said he me me got them flipflops he mean what does that like where does that come from that mean that violence that you're laughing now but we've watched you play like you're you don't enjoy other people touching you yeah that's big boom that's my dad heal that to me he he created Alphas I'm my alpha male so um you you got to know the story about how my dad is and how he's raised I don't want to go into his background but he was a big strong guy and a guy that was well respected and you know he he put them hands on somebody quick you get out of hand so you know that that was have to look outside my household to look up to nobody I had my dad I had my brother you know had no people in my household to look up to so my dad build us this way so you know I'm just it's hard for me to if we on a football field definitely on football like a guy bumping to you I can't just walk away from that cuz I can't you know I got kids how am I going to raise my son and protect yourself if I just let another man bully me and think that it's just hard for me to walk away from stuff like that so I just I demand respect I and and I ain't doing nothing different but if you going to disrespect me and think you can you know you going have to show me that's that's how I see it so sometimes I'm a little better with it than what I was early in my career cuz I was snapping and might get kicked out the game but now you know was a little bit more better with it but I just demand respect you know I just and it's it's not a act it's not me trying to pretend like I'm just like I tell I'm just the alpha male you are not acting at all I'm just I'm just an alpha man I've been like that but I'm telling you I've been like that since Little League since high school if you can as any coach any person that ever been around me my I never changed I'm I'm I'm a happy guy I'm a good but just don't get me into one of my little I got a evil side like everybody else got a little mean side to them and like you got Lyman Napoleon complex cuz you're actually not like a little human in real life like you're a lot bigger than me like I wouldn't try you you know what I'm saying but I think because you was in the trenches and you was like you and probably I mean you said you was a fat kid they probably made you play up did did they make you play up when you was young all the time so only years I played with kids my age was when I was 6 years old ever since then I played with kids older than so they was probably taller see you just had Napoleon complex your entire life where did you learn to pop face mask off that's skill listen no I don't know how that happened man again I was a peacemaker that day and why why every time you [ __ ] people up You Bing listen it it was it was it was Eugene Sims our defensive end and gray Robinson they got into a fight in OTA that was the first year we moved out here they got into a fight they fighting and a big rookie offensive lineman came in tried to hit the what did you back you I'm back your ass up and he and he and he then he was like he he tried man said chill out and I I don't know how that thing came I don't know if he was missing a screw or two it came off I remember smacking him two times with the just and then you turn around he just his face was like this is Smush he had the helmet on his head man everybody clowned him for the rest of the time he was there till he was gone man everybody everybody everybody that was was there was a part of that or seeing that still talk about that to this day so that's like my you know I always hear that story so that's funny that's how I learned about it that's funny as hell bro when you um you know you mentioned the hug with Sean um like the people you do certain things with you never forget uh we got an opportunity to have Coach Tomlin on the show and it was just such a special moment for me because of all the things we shared whether it's the hugs the conversations the tough times the great times what was it about Shan when he became the head coach that was able to propel you guys to two Super Bowls in the ring accountability that start like that you know he he BR a structure to us you know it went from you know being at practice her first couple years before he got there you know offens is out there the defense is on the bed laying down we talking H or they out there then we get up we get on the bed we on the field now like was no structure everybody did what they wanted he came he kind of you know built the team a different way he like all right you know you you seen it and then you know you just never know what to expect with him obviously a new coach the youngest head coach in NFL history at the time too I'm like man I don't know he said all the good stuff and said the right things but um you know I think he just BR accountability he BR some great structure to the team um and then obviously when you once you start seeing the success you have as a team you kind of buying a little different too so um but for me my relationship with them I it's bigger than football with me because what is it about y'all two that makes you bigger than football cuz I had a lot of things going off going on outside of football that you know at times and from 17 18 to on that I was dealing with that was like heavy on me to the point where it was times when I'm like hey coach I ain't playing this week I got to go back to Pittsburgh and handle something cuz I you know it was just it was like that and and and he never was like family's first always he was always there for me to conversate and and look out for me on anything I needed from Beyond football it wasn't it wasn't about football even when he called it's not about like it was it wasn't a football conversation it was it was about the family checking on the family how everybody's doing it like for me that's that's big that's huge cuz I was going through some much still going through a lot but it it's it's settling down a little bit but for for somebody to you know be there for you when you need them and you know um I guess another com comfortability cuz we shared a lot of good conversation shared a lot of Tears with Shan you know what I'm saying so the love I got for him is is is is way bigger than football for me so get rewarded for your fandom with the new Fanatics app free daily games cash prizes te gear all in one app play our free games and earn fan cash with every single win and a chance to win Millions shop gear from your favorite teams and players how does Aaron Donald deal with tough times though family you know cuz it was my wife came at the right time for me um you know cuz it was a couple years early like that 17 18 year definitely that 18 season that you know I end up dropping a bunch of weight that's why that whole year I played at 255 to 250 that whole season you know in 18 so I was going through a lot um just having good people around me you know you know obviously you know talking to my family but now if I would have to say anything definitely through from the 18 season to now man I would say my wife was a huge part of helping me with my mental um being there for me um helping me stay on track man and you know obviously the goal was that you continue to play the game you love and be able to provide for your family a certain type of way um so having good people around me you know to be there for me to you know to deal with a lot of things that's going on with me that understand that's what I do it for that's what I work for you know that's what I'm working for now for my kids so but bro was it a switch you talking about 18 that was that was one of your best years ever that's what I I like was that was was the I don't know what the tough times are I don't know if you want to talk about them but was it a switch or was it a motivation because 18 you went crazy yeah for me football was always my outlet you know I grew up a a quiet kid didn't talk much so when I put my helmet on and my shoulder pads on I felt like I turned into like a superhero and I just you know I was able to express myself through football so you know you mad as hell you want to punch somebody in the face you can't I can't do it now as a grown man with some money I go to ja get sued I can whoop somebody's ass on that football field or they make me mad and I can put my hands on you the right way or you do it you get me at a certain point then I can crash out we could do it like that too so that helped a lot to be able to get a lot of that anger out through football but just I think just having you know like I said the good people around me that you know keep my mind from you know crashing all way out you know honestly so D now that uh like what we try to do on this show obviously we we we speak to our Brotherhood you know and all of the players that watch former players you know current players Etc and um we we we pride ourselves on the transparency you know in the conversation this being a safe space are are some of those things that you were going through are those can you share some of those things and if not that's fine but on the other side now that you no longer have football and football was your safe space like what are you going to turn to now to get you out of those moments that situ it was a lot of stuff that was going on with my kids um my two oldest kids at the time and um obviously time it's a little different times now because you know my kids is with me more times and you know than any but U I think you know when you the thing I try to tell a lot of kids or Just older or just players period you know when you going through something to be able to you know you got to be able to talk to somebody you know cuz holding it in ain't going to do nothing but kill you honestly so um you know I like I said having my wife and then there was a our Chapel guy um Cav you know always talk to him you know times where you know I'm about to you know there's times you you talk to him you cry get that out before practice like God damn I wasn't P you know what I'm saying but it's a lot that go in that you keep internally that you know you need to sometime speak to somebody and get it out man so um you know I always try to give you know my advice definitely with my Foundation 899 Solutions with these young kids mentoring them and trying to make sure they stay on right just to be able to you know express yourself and not hold that anger in them cuz kid everybody go through something different right everybody's story is different everybody everybody's background is different so to have somebody you can you know speak to um to be able to get things off your chest off your heart you know ain't nothing wrong with sharing some tears cuz sometimes you feel a lot better when you get them you know you cry a little bit you know honestly that's just the part of being a man like I consider myself a alpha male you know the toughest guy but I I I'll share some tears quick for you know what I'm saying about my family about my emotions it's just what it is so the large misconception about alpha males or masculinity as a whole is that it has to always be one way you have to be tough you have to present in a certain way and that's just not true I think we all deal with emotions differently I do believe the strength of your story is like what Channing said you were dealing with what you were dealing with and you mentioned your kids I can't think of anything more difficult than to deal with something than with my babies and the way that that affects me the way that it impacts me both emotionally mentally and to still go out because even though it was something about them you still had to feed them exactly you know what I'm saying and the way that you fed them was an outlet for you but you had to show up and be Aaron Donald there every day because honestly most people don't care that you have problems most people don't care that you have issues you got a job to do and you were able to do that job and with Erica's help and your family's help you know you are able to get in a in a better place you said you were full right and you were complete mhm and so it was okay to set them down now being retired being on the other side living this life how full and complete is Aaron Donald today I'm super complete I'm happy in a good space um no second guessing nothing ain't like people always ask do you miss it like hell no like July coming I ain't got to get ready for no damn C you know what I'm saying so I'm in a good space man I really am obviously um just learning a lot more about the business side of things now with my partner you know Pat Kev um guy I'm learning a lot from he's he's my partner with ready obviously you know was able to you know invest into the company and BR I want to say 2017 2018 and um you know to see the growth where we where we was to where we at now um and then having them conversations with him that you know that and certain things that we got planned and set up right now and the conversations we be having and things that's coming to fruition you know that that's what make me like I can't like cuz you know like I always say like I ain't working for myself no more I'm working for my kids yeah I want to continue to build generational wealth you know so you know when you look at the Donald name you know it's a name that's like it's respected not just from football from sports but no I don't want to just leave my kids money I want to you know you know something you know build something that that I can leave and leave my kids to continue to build so um I'm excited about the next chapter more than anything so in such a great place um Happy Blessed um healthy you know get the you know lead a game you know on my terms in a good place in in a good space um got to experience so much see so much accomplish so much in a short amount of a time I'm just happy blessed and you know ready for the next chapter of Life what will it be Freddy 2029 will be his year 29 baby what's 2029 [ __ ] they should send you your jacket right now at least start sizing him for I heard him talk he about to cry in next spee oh he going cry for baby ain't going cry I can't tell him a crap but I don't know how my emotions going to be at that I ain't never I ain't never experienced nothing like that so I don't know you I think you have a duty um to to embrace the city of St Louis who feel as if they lost the team like I'm sure they feel that this is that was also their Championship as well as bringing it to La sure and and your speech um I mean you it's a long ways off so I don't know if you even thought about any of that we got that [ __ ] written already hey he going to be like cry here cuz he going be to cry when he wrote it you ready that would be a good moment so you locked you locked in but uh again your your biggest pivot we always ask our guests what's their biggest pivot in life which is that moment or moment that uh without that happening you wouldn't be the person who you are my biggest pivot it could be life too yeah cuz you Ain have to Pivot in football you just beat piss out of people L but I don't know man a it could have been when you you know got on your knee without a ring I mean I was going say I was going to say my wife but I don't want to be cheesy that is cheesy that's that's part seems like she's attached to a lot of great yeah decisions honestly she is so um obviously I would say my wife you know she better me in a lot of ways you know cuz always been the one that you know get to this position and was always the one that you know I felt like you know you need your you know your close family but for the most part you don't really need you know feel like you need nobody but you know that that have somebody in my life that I feel like you know I need my wife you know she's a part of me she made me a better you know husband a better better father a better businessman just in my everyday life she bring something to the table so for me it's like you know you know you had a lot of good things going on you know you you bring a good piece and a part of you that's you married that's in your life now that you know you went from this I'm talking about off the field stuff until like you know it's going that way you know so um that's why I'm more excited about this this this the second this this next chapter more than anything um cuz I think it's going to be be bigger than what I did in the football World from a financial standpoint so that's awesome um you know we having a lot of good conversation with a lot of good people she's there right next to me in these meetings um sometimes she she take the lead and I then she had them conversation with the people and then tell me this is a conversation we both need to be down and talk to and then we you bring out the fruition so um I would I would definitely say my wife when it come to the the off the field stuff but if I had to say a big pivot from a football standpoint in my football life or say going into my 18th my 2018 season um you know my second hold out year backtack year 17 and 18 was hold out years but um getting experien it for my second year and understanding the business side of football not taking it as personal as I did in 17 cuz it was all new to me you know I'm like [ __ ] if y'all don't want me just let me go you know I I started getting mad the second year it's more I understand it's a business somebody if somebody can buy something for $100 and it's and it cost $300 they going to trying to get for $100 but that's a part of business so understanding outside and and figuring things out and having having the opportunity to understand you know how it is and what I need to do and you know my training process changed as far as doing different things out the box keeping myself in top shape going to get myself prepared knowing how to handle myself to get myself ready for a season and getting going into a season um not doing no cam for two years back to back and having a year I had and I have an opportunity to go to a Super Bowl um I would say that so you know James Conor credits you with uh building his confidence to be a great running back I didn't know he played DN you a know that no I didn't know I call Conor that's my that's like my little brother man I really do love him he said he said like in a bowl game though he was ready to go on the field so you know Conor was really a scholarship for defense to end but his last year in high school he end up rushing for a crazy amount of yards and then he had some scholarship for running back and then he went to pick the play running back um and that his freshman year was my senior year you know and he he had to work at the always ask questions even though I was a d tackle when he was a running back he wanted to whatever extra work you I'm with you big bro I'm with we we then we played a bowl game we played the little seesar bowl in Detroit against Bowling Green he went crazy though yeah he went crazy he rushed for like like close to like 300 yards a couple touchdowns and had like and then they put him I think we was low on numbers on the end they they put him out through the rush he was rushing next to me he had about like four quarterback Hicks like five quarterback pressures I think he almost took one of my sacks so he up he was out there balling but man you know to see his growth to understand you know I know the body work he put in the mindset he got you know i' be so proud of him you know like you know cuz that's my he ain't a friend that's my brother that's my little brother so I want to see him succeed and then he went come to Arizona I get to play against him twice a year you know so um what was it like when he got sick then man you know I sent him a message I was in St Louis at the time I remember sending him a message a heartfelt message just let them know that um this is just a hiccup in the road you know this is a a lot of more great things coming your way um a few Pro bowls later and things like that to see you know where he's at now man he killed in Arizona yeah man he's still killing it you know that's that was awesome big dog appreciate you my boy I'm sorry I bothered you so much whenever you want to get fat just let me know I show you I show you the way first of all with that proposal story I didn't believe you but but that's not you proposed twice why did I propose just D just no just cuz you gave but I we were already like engaged but you gave me your propos but you made it seem like I was like no no no until I got a ring I a kiding oh no no we was we was engaged [ __ ] you Ain had no choice up liit it I here to witness it my feelingit when get me up on the mission get me up knowing me I got the key on the vision I can trust trust Limitless n to me P it I F the here to witness it my people feeling militant when