Aaron Donald Explains How to Sack Aaron Rodgers Amid Myles Garrett’s “Graveyard” Warning

Aaron Rodgers recently confessed that the upcoming season will likely be his final year in the NFL. If true, Rodgers has just 17 games remaining to pad his ironclad Hall of Fame resume. It also leaves only 17 contests for defenders to get their final licks against him for their own bios.

Now that Rodgers is in the AFC North, that’s where Myles Garrett’s focus lies. When asked about Rodgers joining the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason, Garrett said he thinks it’s “a good opportunity to put him in the graveyard.” He’s, of course, referring to his annual Halloween decor, where he proudly displays headstones for quarterbacks he has sacked.

Garrett has faced Rodgers once (Christmas Day, 2021). He should get two more cracks in 2025 (Weeks 6 and 17). Thankfully, Aaron Donald has some advice for Garrett as he embarks on the journey. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year spoke on what Garrett needs to do with Sports Illustrated.

“Win your one-on-ones and get to him. Don’t let him get the ball out too fast. You know, he’s an older guy, but he can move. [He’s] a little shifty. When you get to him… just get him down to the ground before he can get the ball out.” – Aaron Donald

Plenty of retired defenders know how to get to the quarterback, but Donald is one of one. He notched 111.0 sacks, two of which were on Rodgers, as a defensive tackle. Those takedowns were part of the career-best 20.5 sacks he recorded in 2018.

Garrett’s career-best single-season total is 16.0 sacks (2021 & 2022). Nabbing Rodgers could help him reset his mark and perhaps come close to Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record (22.5). With Cleveland rebuilding under center, Garrett’s pursuit of that mantle could wind up being the biggest bright spot of the Browns’ 2025 campaign. He’ll kick things off against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7.