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Super Bowl 53: Which players will have the biggest impact?

By Patrick Morgan

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 20: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates with Stephon Gilmore #24 after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime during the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Patriots defeated the Chiefs 37-31. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 20: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates with Stephon Gilmore #24 after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime during the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Patriots defeated the Chiefs 37-31. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 11: Running back C.J. Prosise #22 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts as he’s brought down by defensive end Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams in the second quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 11, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 11: Running back C.J. Prosise #22 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts as he’s brought down by defensive end Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams in the second quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 11, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Aaron Donald

Simply put, Aaron Donald is the most important player in Super Bowl 53.

Patriots fans might argue and say that it’s Tom Brady. There might even be a few confused Rams fans who think it’s Jared Goff or Todd Gurley.

But the bold, naked truth of Super Bowl Sunday is that when these two teams take the field together, the best player on that field today is nose tackle and back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald.

Brady might be the best player in NFL history – he’s certainly the best quarterback already – but in terms of the best player today, in February 2019, it has to be Donald. No other athlete in the NFL possesses the kind of game-breaking potential that Donald has. He can alter the fates of entire franchises just through the sheer force of his will alone, and you’d better believe that Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels, Tom Brady, and the rest of the New England Patriots will know where he is exactly on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at all times.

Donald’s numbers this season were just stupid. He finished the regular season with 20.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 9 stuffs, and 59 total tackles. He ran away with the Defensive Player of the Year award at the NFL Honors on Saturday night for the second year in a row. He held out during the offseason to get a new $135 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid defensive player in history, and he somehow still seems underpaid.

Indeed, if Super Bowl 53 hinges on a single matchup above all others, it’s the battle between Donald and the Patriots’ offensive line/Tom Brady.

Historically, the best way to attack Brady and disrupt the potency of the Patriots’ high-octane offense is by hitting him early, hitting him often, and hitting him hard. The New York Giants memorably did exactly that in a pair of Super Bowl upsets over the Patriots back during the 2007 and 2011 seasons.

If the Rams want to win on Sunday, they’ll need to follow that blueprint and have Donald (along with Ndamukong Suh and the rest of the formidable Rams defensive line) win their one-on-one matchups with New England’s linemen and tight ends to get pressure on Brady from the inside of the pocket.

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