The 26-year-old linebacker can recommend himself to the NFL squad in the training camp
Düsseldorf, May 17, 2021 – The dream goes on: The Seattle Seahawks signed Aaron Donkor from the International Pathway Program last week for their rookie minicamp, which they started last week. The 26-year-old linebacker is thus one big step closer to his dream of an NFL career – not least because he made a very good impression in the first phase of the camp. The former Düsseldorf Panther was one of only a few Europeans to be accepted into the International Player Pathway Program, the official youth program of the National Football League. This year, the four NFC West teams will each be allowed to add one player to their training group via the program. The Seahawks opted for Donkor. Donkor received the message personally from Head Coach Pete Carroll via video call.
A moment that is as beautiful as it is unforgettable: “I was surprised,” admitted Aaron Donkor frankly in an interview with Christoph “Icke” Dommisch on the sports program “ran” last weekend. “I didn’t know it was the Seahawks calling. And then Pete Caroll too! The fact that he and his entire coaching staff took the time to greet me personally has a very special energy. ”With this call from the Hawks’ head coach, the next door opens for Donkor on his way to the best League of the world. At least in the upcoming season, he can’t hope to be part of the team. The rules prohibit this, so that the teams that add an additional player to their training group have no additional advantage in terms of squad strength. Should Donkor convince in training over the long term, the Seahawks will certainly be the first point of contact for a permanent contract in the following season. This is by no means impossible – Jakob Johnson, once with the Stuttgart Scorpions and now an integral part of the New England Patriots, also went through the NFL Pathway program and is therefore the best example.
And Donkor’s first steps on the big NFL stage can be described as quite successful: On the Vereinsseite der Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll is consistently positive about the training guest from Germany, and not least praises the energy he brings to the field. “He fitted in very well,” the Hawks trainer legend is quoted as saying. “He doesn’t give the impression that this is a size too big for him. He had a good first day and we will still learn a lot about him. “
Christian Mohr was also very happy to hear about Donkor’s engagement in Aachen. The former footballer (active in the GFL for the Düsseldorf Panthers, the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes and the Mönchengladbach Mavericks) and current personal trainer had put Donkor in the right shape for involvement in the NFL. “I completed my bachelor’s degree in the USA in mid-2020, then came to Germany and locked myself in and trained in the gym during the Corona peak,” Donkor looks back in the “ran” interview. “And I had a coach with Christian Mohr who really got the best out of me. He made me a completely different athlete again. When I was a D-Liner I had to carry a lot more weight with me. Now as a linebacker I feel much more comfortable and can also bring the athleticism that God gave me to the lawn. “
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Curious by the way: During his time in NFL Europe at Rhein Fire, Mohr was also accepted into the Practice Squad by the Seahawks. Mohr: “Aaron is a steal for the Seahawks. Aaron is athletic with the delivered values in an elite club. He has playing experience in DIV1 college football, everything a regular rookie has to offer in the NFL. As such, its potential is enormous and the Seahawks will be able to make the most of it. “
The fact that the Seahawks even have the chance to benefit from Aaron Donkor’s football talent is thanks not least to the Düsseldorf Panthers. The then basketball player Donkor discovered his love for playing with the egg among the big cats from the state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia. “It was just after my 21st birthday, I’d seen the Super Bowl before and how people played ‘Madden’. And I thought, ‘Wow, the game looks really cool,’ Donkor said on ‘ran’. “Then I ran around a little on the pitch with the Düsseldorf Panthers, it was fun, it was very easy for me. And then I thought to myself: ‘Hey, if it’s that easy for me – who knows where the blanket is then …’ “It seems like it was at NFL level!
with material from Tom Aust, Director Press and Communication AFVD
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