Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Byron Young said he carries with him a lasting lesson he learned from Aaron Donald.
Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Byron Young revealed that he still carries with him pieces of what Aaron Donald taught him during his rookie season in 2023.
In a recent interview with the media, Young shared how Donald still impacts his game.
"Just being patient, understanding that every play writes its own story," Young said when asked what he learned from Donald. "Every play it's going to be different. If you make a mistake, just put that play behind you and just make up for it. But just be patient, understand mistakes are going to happen, and just learn from it."
Young entered the league older than most of his draft-mates. He was 25 when he got his first official snap in the NFL, but despite that, the linebacker has shown he belongs alongside Donald.
The former Tennessee Volunteer played in all 17 games with 16 starts and played in 85 percent of defensive snaps alongside Donald in 2023. Young finished his rookie season with 61 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits and eight sacks.
Young finished his rookie season eighth in AP Defensive Player of the Year voting.
The 28-year-old has improved year by year, with the 2025 season being his breakout season. Young earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his career last season, tallying career-highs across the board, including 82 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 29 quarterback hits and 12 sacks in 17 games.
The former third-round pick has proven he is worthy of a contract extension entering his fourth season. However, the Rams have yet to sign any member of their 2023 draft class to a new deal.
Despite that being the case, Young could care less about a new deal.
"The way I see it, regardless, I'm gonna have to play out this year," Young said.
Young could very well have another breakout year, one in which he hopes the recurring knee issue doesn’t get in the way.
The edge rusher admitted that the knee issue troubled him through parts of last season and limited his playing time during the playoffs. As things stand, the Rams are being cautious with Young, similar to how they’re doing it with Matthew Stafford.
Young missed Day 2 of practice as he continues to manage that knee.
The 28-year-old has every opportunity to enjoy the best season of his career in 2026.With players like Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Garrett leading the pass rush, Young could be one of the biggest beneficiaries.
Young and Donald were only teammates for one season; however, there’s a chance the two become teammates again in 2026. Donald, 35, is seriously considering a return to the NFL.
Sean McVay said that Donald is undergoing a strict training process to see how his body responds before he makes his final decision.
It’s unclear when Donald will make his decision as the 2026 season appraoches.
