Aaron Donald would have made the perfect Steeler with T.J. Watt take

Aaron Donald will forever go down as one of the greatest defensive linemen to ever play in the NFL, so when he speaks highly of T.J. Watt, you better listen.

Donald recently spoke about the impact Watt has had on the game, his style of play, and how he feels that Watt should have won more Defensive Player of the Year awards, particularly due to the snubs.

Those words are a big joy to the folks in the Steel City, who wish they had an opportunity to pair Watt with Donald. The thought of that alone is enough to terrify the opposition. Keep in mind, Watt entered the league in 2017, and since then, he has finished with double-digit sacks in five of his seven seasons, the only exceptions being his rookie year and in 2022, when he played just 10 games.

Aaron Donald advocating for TJ Watt is a huge blessing and a sign of respect/passing the torch

With Donald now retired, the question is who should be considered the best defender in the league? If Donald believes Watt is that guy, then we best take him at his word. After all, who's going to argue with Aaron Donald? Short answer: Nobody. The stats speak for themselves when it comes to TJ Watt, and the play of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense also says something.

Watt has amassed 96.5 sacks in his career, including 22.5 in 2021. He also has 107 tackles for loss, and 27 forced fumbles. He earned four First-Team All-Pro Nods, six Pro Bowls, and one AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. He clearly should have more in his career, as Donald pointed out, but the voting system is a bit flawed.

Nonetheless, Watt has the full support of Donald, and that says a lot coming from someone who will not be waiting long for his name to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If Watt can continue to produce at a high level and maybe capture a Super Bowl ring in the process, he and his brother JJ will be in the HOF together.