PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – As Aaron Donald took in all of the festivities associated with retiring his number, the prevailing sentiment was how he never dreamed this day could happen. Also, for him the ability to share this with his kids and what he’s told them about his career at Pitt?
“That your dad was pretty damn good,” Donald said with a smile of accomplishment.
The Penn Hills High School graduate was indeed winning the Bronco Nagurski and Outland Trophies along with the Chuck Bednarik and Lombardi Awards to go with being an All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
“I love the University of Pittsburgh,” Donald said. “Pitt gave me a chance when a lot of schools didn’t. I’m born and raised in Pittsburgh. Never was a big college football watcher, the only team I did watch was Pitt.”
Donald admitted he cried when Pitt Athletic Director Allen Greene surprised him with the honor at his home in California.
“It’s surreal,” Donald said. “I still don’t believe it. It’s something that I pinch myself because it feels like a dream. I just remember being a kid just trying to get to a D-1 college. To come full circle and we are retiring your number.”
“So, nobody else is ever going to wear that number again. It’s like wow. You talk about legacy, it’s special. That’s forever. It will never be taken away. It’s always going to be there. When I’m here, when I’m gone. That’s pretty special. When you are talking about legacy and legendary-type stuff. I thought I dreamed big, but a lot of hard work paid off for me.”
The story has been told about his early morning workouts with his father in their basement before school. He would say when everybody else is sleeping, you are working. Donald said the lesson for his kids is that hard work not only pays off in sports, but it’s applicable to anything in life
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“I can’t wait to make my movie one day because it’s pretty special,” Donald said.