Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford offered a defense for his teammate Aaron Donald's failed fumble recovery attempt, attributing the struggle to their veteran status and the physical demands of the sport. Donald, 35, was unable to secure a loose ball during the Rams' 24-9 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
In a video shared by the NFL's X account, Stafford was heard commenting on Donald's attempt. "You know how hard it is the bend at the knees, no doubt," Stafford said, watching the replay. "If anybody knew how hard it is, at our age, to go down there and get a ball."
Stafford, who is nearing 39 himself, added, "Coach, I need an official timeout to go down and get some of those. If they only knew! That’s just so hard."
Donald, a highly decorated defensive lineman, has never scored a touchdown in his NFL career. Stafford, on the other hand, has thrown 463 touchdown passes and rushed for 18 more throughout his career. While Stafford can relate to the physical challenges that age brings, he noted his own extensive experience in scoring touchdowns, contrasting it with Donald's missed opportunity.