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Aaron Donald warms up on November 27, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri.
If there’s one current NFL defender who has nearly matched the productivity and dominance of Aaron Donald, it’s Khalil Mack.
Hence why there’s this longstanding belief among NFL fans that both the Los Angeles Rams star and the Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher had a rivalry going on that dates back to when Mack was with the Oakland Raiders.
The three-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler Mack finally addressed the “rivalry” involving he and “A.D.” during his appearance with Kevin Hart on “Cold as Balls” via the LOL Network released on Tuesday, April 11. The actor and comedian Hart himself asked about Mack’s thoughts on A.D. Mack ended up reflecting back on the awards he wanted to chase — which ended up going to Donald.
“I had goals coming into the league,” Mack explained. “First year, Defensive Rookie of the Year. Wanted to get that. Aaron Donald. [Then] 2016 comes, my third year in the league, Defensive Player of the Year. My other goal that I had. Obviously, special moment, wanted to do it again. 2017, it’s Aaron Donald.”
Reflecting Back on Both Defender’s Trajectory in Their First 5 Seasons
The 2014 season witnessed Mack produce 76 tackles, 59 solo stops, 16 tackles for a loss and four sacks in 16 starts for the Raiders. Donald, meanwhile, only started in 12 games and had fewer tackles (48) and solo stops (38) — but produced more TFLs (18) and sacks (nine) to earn the award.
Their sophomore NFL seasons saw their first double-digit sack campaigns. Donald collected 11 as a 16-game starter. Mack, though, had Donald beat with 15 sacks…which still represents a career-high for the edge/outside linebacker. Mack additionally delivered an astonishing 23 tackles for a loss that season (also a career-best), which was one more than Donald’s total in that category.
Both men saw a decline in their sacks in season three. Though Mack (11) had more than Donald (eight). The Ram, however, ended up with the most TFLs at 15 than Mack’s 14.
That ’17 campaign became Donald’s first of what would be three NFL Defensive Player of the Year nods for him. Mack in that season tied Donald for tackles for a loss at 15, but trailed Donald by 0.5 sacks.
Then, 2018 was the season that witnessed the near flawless dominance of Donald as he produced 20.5 sacks and a still career-best 25 stops behind the line of scrimmage. That was also during Mack’s first season with the Chicago Bears, also his last double digit sack season of 12.5.
Mack includes how he acknowledged that he needed that motivation in watching Donald’s dominance to chase him and his own personal goals.
Is There Still the Thought of Both Men Linking Together?
Lately during the offseason, Mack and Donald’s names were intertwined for this reason: The possibility of becoming teammates.
Mack’s name was listed as a “cut candidate” by Chargers insider Daniel Popper of The Athletic back on February 3. Mack was Popper’s top candidate as a cut could save the Chargers’ $18.4 million in cap space.
Then, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report wrote on February 6 how Mack would fit well with the Rams.
However, Mack avoided the round of cuts the Chargers made for 2023. The defender also hasn’t been discussed much by analysts as a draft trade with the 2023 spectacle now 15 days away.
