Aaron Donald has repeatedly said he has no interest in returning to the NFL as a player, but he hasn’t completely distanced himself from the Los Angeles Rams in retirement. In fact, he’s remained quite close to the team.
In an interview with RG.org, Puka Nacua told DJ Siddiq that the Rams see Donald “stop by at least once a week.”
"100%, we see him stop by at least once a week," Nacua said. "It feels like he's in there, and then I'm just glad he doesn't stop by the weight room still."
Nacua is still one of the younger players on the team, but as an established star and entering his fourth season in the NFL, he’s looking to become more of a leader. There’s no one better than Donald to seek advice from, being a multi-year captain and all-world defender for the Rams.
Nacua says he talks to Donald about ways to connect with teammates on defense, knowing Donald used to be a leader in Los Angeles throughout his time with the Rams.
"He reaches out during the season, especially when I feel like there are some of the things that as a leader, you try to find ways to connect with the team, especially on the defensive side of the ball," Nacua told Siddiq. "He understands that mentality obviously more than I ever could. Trying to find ways to ask about what he did as a leader for the team when he was trying to talk to the offensive side of the ball, and how I can use some of those things to talk to the guys on the opposite side of the ball."
Nacua hasn’t yet been voted a captain with the Rams but it’s good to see he’s trying to take on a leadership role in Los Angeles’ locker room. He’s unquestionably one of the top players on the team, so his teammates will naturally gravitate toward him on the practice field and the sidelines during games.
The more he can connect with everyone on the team, the better off he and the Rams will be.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams' Puka Nacua talks about Aaron Donald's continued impact on team