Aaron Donald Preparation in Week 16

Donald is a few games away from completing his eighth season, and has already put together a résumé that will land him in Canton, Ohio, down the road.

Donald has been the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in three different seasons (2017, 2018 and 2020), and is the only player in NFL history to be honored that many times. He also has been a Pro Bowl selection in each of his first eight seasons, and has been an All-Pro honoree every season except his rookie year of 2014.

Kirk Cousins called Donald “the total package.”

Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer, who knows a thing or two about defense, said Wednesday that Donald is the best 3-techniqiue defensive tackle … of all-time.

“Yeah, he’s the best,” Zimmer said. “He’s got great determination, which I think is part of it. But also, he’s got excellent quickness and strength.”

How do you defend that? Especially after the interior of the Vikings offensive line struggled against Hicks?

“Well, there’s things you have to try to do. It’s not that you can do it all the time,” Zimmer said. “There’s things we can try to do but I won’t go into it.”