Aaron Donald expands AD99 Foundation to Los Angeles, receives $100K from Raising Cane's
- Kick The Concrete
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
BURBANK, Calif. — Aaron Donald has two homes. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, but spent eight years of his Hall of Fame-worthy NFL career in Los Angeles. He started his AD99 Foundation during his playing days in 2018 to give opportunities to underprivileged kids in Pittsburgh. This week, he announced the organization is expanding to reach youth in Los Angeles. On Tuesday, Raising Cane's presented Donald and his wife, Erica, with a $100,000 check to further the foundation's education and athletic initiatives.
"It was huge for us definitely with the transition to expand into the Los Angeles area, so it's going to do a lot to help the kids, different things that we want to do with the programming and things like that," Donald told reporters at a Raising Cane's restaurant in Burbank with a thank you to the company's founder and CEO, Todd Graves. "Big shoutout to Raising Cane’s and Todd for believing in our mission, being a partner. Not just talking about it, actually doing something to help us to grow and do what we want to do."
The donation was made possible through Raising Cane's Graduation Plush Puppy campaign. Customers can celebrate a loved one who graduated by purchasing a stuffed Golden Retriever wearing a graduation cap and holding a diploma with proceeds going to various charities that support education. The toy is based on Graves' own pup, who is the namesake of the restaurant. Donald signed a few stuffed animals, Los Angeles Rams mini helmets and jerseys as part of the event.
Donald retired in March of 2024 after eight All-Pro seasons and winning Super Bowl LVI with the Rams in 2022. He was one of the most dominant defensive players of his era. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014 and was named Defensive Player of the Year three times, including in 2018 when he led the league with 20.5 sacks and 25 tackles for a loss.
In retirement, Donald said he still maintains a fit and healthy lifestyle while focusing on his business ventures, leading the foundation and pursuing acting. He said he's been working with an acting coach and speaking with producers. He's had two auditions already.
"Everything I do, I want to make sure I'm the best at it," he said of taking on Hollywood, "so anybody that's the top of the food chain, that’s up there, I want to be able to work with, learn from as I pursue this next chapter of life. I'm trying to pursue this acting career, have the right people around me that make sure that everything I’m going the right way and it’s gonna come out the best way."
Also this week, the College Football Hall of Fame announced that Donald is on the ballot for the Class of 2026 for his career at the University of Pittsburgh. Other nominees include Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, California return specialist and wide receiver DeSean Jackson, Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey, Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil and others.
Listed at 6'0" before making it pro, Donald was considered undersized by many colleges. But the Panthers took a chance on him and he became a dominant force, racking up 181 tackles and 29.5 sacks in his career. His senior season, he won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award, both recognizing the best defensive player of the year. The then-St. Louis Rams selected him in the first round of the 2014 draft as the No. 13 overall pick.
Donald explained what the acknowledgement from the College Football Hall of Fame meant to him.
"When I got the call, I was actually in a car with my wife and all four of my kids, and it was a little emotional for me," he said. "Obviously, being born and raised in Pittsburgh, and getting the opportunity to play at the University of Pittsburgh, and getting that call. A lot of schools didn’t want to give me the opportunity because they considered me undersized at defensive tackle. Just to understand the journey that went through, the body of work that I put in. To be retired now and still receiving accolades for what I did for football is truly a blessing, one heck of a stepping stone for me and my career. So to be able to call myself a Pitt Hall of Famer from a kid that schools said I wasn’t gonna be able to do it at a big Division I school, to be able to prove so many wrong from just the body of work I put in is truly an honor."
While Pittsburgh will always be his first home, Donald said that he spends most of his time in Los Angeles now. Part of that is supporting the local teams, including the NWSL's Angel City FC and WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. He has witnessed the growth of women's sports in Los Angeles, specifically the Sparks, firsthand.
"It’s been great, fun to watch," he said. "I was just talking to my wife, we went to the Sparks game, it definitely was a different atmosphere from the last year. We went two years ago. It’s still fun to watch, but to see the fan base start growing and the excitement of the game, it’s definitely cool to watch, and it's competitive. We’re enjoying it. We’re going to try to get to as many games as we can and continue to support."
Donald said he will support the Rams from his couch from now on. Besides applauding Los Angeles linebacker and last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse, he saluted Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons as defensive players carrying his torch of excellence. But don't get it twisted as to who is dominant in the gym.
“I think the maniac is just me still.”
*Travel expenses for this content were paid for by Raising Cane's.
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