Despite the physical contact and the occasional verbal banter, NFL players respect each other because they know what everyone has been through.
They are aware of the grueling grind that brought them to the pros and the struggles to stay in it.
That’s why they sympathize when one of them suffers a gruesome injury.
Fellow players are also the first ones to congratulate their fellow athletes who won individual or team awards.
They never fail to recognize exceptional talent, just like what Tom Brady said to Aaron Donald.
Can't blame @TomBrady. 😅
(via @dpshow) pic.twitter.com/IPcWg0kAVh
— NFL (@NFL) June 15, 2022
In his recent guesting at the Dan Patrick Show, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback said, “I see Aaron Donald work out on Instagram, and I’m like, damn, maybe I should’ve stayed retired because he’s a beast.”
Brady announced his retirement after he and the Buccaneers lost to Donald and the Los Angeles Rams in their Divisional Round encounter last season.
But who could fault Brady for such a statement acknowledging Donald’s greatness?
The former Pitt Panther is always disrupting the opposing team from the defensive tackle position and often gets double-teamed by offensive linemen.
Yet despite those roadblocks, he still finds a way to rush the quarterback.
It’s that unique talent that made him a three-time Defensive Player of the Year awardee and seven-time First-Team All-Pro.
Donald Also Contemplated Retirement
Like Brady, Donald might have left the game for good after finally winning a Super Bowl ring.
There are no more territories left to conquer after winning the league’s most prestigious prize.
However, Donald decided to continue in hopes of winning more Super Bowls.
Therefore, he might be a menace to Brady once their teams meet during the postseason.
Brady versus Donald is an intriguing chess match that football fans must see.
NEXT: NFL Insider Reminds Eli Manning Of A Glaring Omission On Recent List