Key Highlights
- Jared Verse reveals how Aaron Donald frequently texts him to provide tips on improving as a pass rusher.
- Aaron Donald has remained involved with the Los Angeles Rams even after his retirement, offering advice and support to younger players.
- The mentorship from former NFL greats can significantly impact the development of young players in professional sports.
Mentorship Beyond the Playing Field: Aaron Donald’s Influence on Jared Verse
Despite his recent retirement, Aaron Donald, one of the greatest defensive linemen in NFL history, continues to make a significant impact within the Los Angeles Rams organization. According to his former teammate and current defensive lineman, Jared Verse, Aaron Donald remains deeply involved with the team, providing valuable guidance and support to younger players.
Texts and Tips for Improvement
In an interview with Andrew Whitworth on the “Fitz & Whit” podcast, Verse revealed that after a disappointing performance against the Texans in Week 1 of the current season, Donald reached out via text. The message was clear: Donald wanted Verse to develop a pass-rush counter to his power move.
“Even after our first game against Houston this season, I didn’t have a great game. I was out there, they had a good game plan for me, a good setup for me,” Verse said. “So he shot me a text, like, ‘Hey, man, you’ve got to work something off the power.’”
From that point on, Verse and Donald have exchanged texts throughout the season. Donald has suggested various moves and techniques to improve Verse’s game.
Aaron Donald as a Mentor
In addition to his textual advice, Verse has sought out specific training sessions with Donald, including inquiries about the cross-chop move that Donald famously used to generate numerous sacks during his career. However, Verse has struggled to master this technique:
“I’m like, ‘All right, what do you have in mind?’ He’s sending me clips, giving me ideas,” Verse continued. “‘Try this, try that. Do this, try this move.’ I’m like, ‘All right, what do you think about this?’ I’d ask him about the cross-chop.
He’s like, ‘The cross-chop’s a good move. It takes a while to master. It took me about a year to master it.
If you can knock it out real quick, try it in practice and keep trying it in practice until you feel confident in a game.’ So I’m knocking it out, trying it in practice, trying it in practice. Still haven’t hit it in a game because I’m still not confident in it.”
According to Verse, Aaron Donald’s mentorship extends far beyond just technical advice. He notes the frequent texts and the overall support from one of the all-time greats:
“But he just gives me advice all the time, like, ‘Hey, try this, try that.
Or this move right here.’” Verse said. “He’ll send me my clips. He’ll be like, ‘This move right here, if you did this, that’s an easy sack. You’ve got to hit this next time. Once you get in this position, hit this.’ Just to know that AD – the best defensive player ever, first-ballot Hall of Famer, all that good stuff – is reaching out to me to make sure I’m taking care of what I have to do and helping me elevate as a player, it’s helping me so much and it clears my mental sometimes, too.”
The Value of Mentorship in Professional Sports
The mentorship provided by Aaron Donald highlights the importance of experienced players sharing their knowledge with younger talent. Such guidance can be instrumental in a player’s development, offering insights that go beyond what can be learned from books or coaches alone.
“Donald was the perfect player for young defenders to learn from while he was with the Rams, and he’s still a mentor to guys currently on the team despite being retired himself,” Verse added. “Rams players would benefit greatly from having more of these types of relationships.”
The relationship between Aaron Donald and Jared Verse serves as an example of how mentorship can continue to have a positive impact even after a player’s career has ended, contributing to the overall growth and success of the team.
