Aaron Donald is in the Super Bowl for the second time in his career with his Los Angeles Rams after a feat of strength against the San Francisco 49ers. In doing so, he once again underlines how important his role is on and off the field with the Rams.

Munich/Los Angeles – In the shower of confetti in Los Angeles, Aaron Donald showed his calm and fatherly side after the game.

Together with his two children, he celebrated the victory in the NFC Championship Game over the San Francisco 49ers as a small family. It was not obvious to the defensive tackle that he was anything but the calm and caring family man just a few minutes before.

Because when Aaron Donald stands on a football field, he develops into an unstoppable machine for the full 60 minutes. A veritable defence monster. For years, the 30-year-old has been considered one of the best defenders in the league and is already regarded by many as a future Hall of Famer.

However, the Rams’ superstar still lacks one thing in his collection: a Super Bowl triumph. A ring that makes the greatest the immortal. So it came as little surprise that he, of all people, ensured that his team ultimately made it into the final for the Lombardi Trophy with an incredible play.

Aaron Donald: Unstoppable like a steamroller

The 49ers’ offensive line actually had the Rams’ pass rush under control for much of the game. The dangerous unit around Donald and other defensive hunks like Von Miller or Leonard Floyd did not manage a single sack over the entire game.

San Francisco’s well-rehearsed short passing game also ensured that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo usually got rid of the ball quickly and was thus able to prevent sacks.

When it came to the decisive phase, however, Aaron Donald had had enough. With less than two minutes on the clock, the 49ers tried to snatch the narrow lead from the Rams’ hands. Everything still seemed open – until Donald decided to put an end to it.

The Rams managed to get him into a one-on-one with right guard Daniel Brunskill, who was simply pushed away by Donald like a little boy, so that the Rams star could suddenly run completely free towards Garoppolo. The latter then went into panic mode and made a costly interception that decided the game.

Aaron Donald: Patience the key to success

“We fought relentlessly until the end,” Donald said after the game, completely exhausted: “I knew: there was no way we were going to lose. No way,” he explained further. The Rams’ defensive captain had relief written all over his face.

The 49ers went into the last quarter with a 17-7 lead and held all the cards. But it was mainly due to the willpower of Donald and Co. that the Rams managed the comeback after all: “I feel great, but that was a hard-fought game,” the defender continued.

“I told the boys we needed to step it up a gear. There was too much at stake, we had so much to lose. We fought our way out of it and provided big plays when we needed them,” he concluded.

As well as his crucial play to win the game on the court, the 30-year-old also ensured his team got into this situation in the first place.

Eric Weddle: “Aaron saved our asses”

“We were actually down,” said safety Eric Weddle, who returned to the Rams from retirement just before the playoffs. “Aaron saved our butts. He wanted to see more from us. We also knew what this whole thing meant to him,” the veteran continued.

Even before the game against the 49ers, Donald made no secret of the fact that the only thing that mattered to him this season was the Super Bowl. On the sidelines, he obviously found the right words and infected his teammates with his incredible will to win.

“That’s his style,” defensive coordinator Raheem Morris also knew: “He made it clear to us all week how important this game is to him. He calmed everyone down on the sideline and got them back on track. There wasn’t a more important moment in this game,” his coach concluded by praising him.

Now Donald is on the verge of the biggest success in his career. On the night of 13 to 14 February, the Los Angeles Rams will face the surprise team Cincinnati Bengals at home in SoFi Stadium.

If Donald once again manages to carry his team like he did against the 49ers, the defence monster will be hard to stop on the way to his first Super Bowl ring.