Jaelynn Blakey is Aaron Donald’s longtime girlfriend and mother to his two young children. Blakey and Donald both grew up in western Pennsylvania and appear to have been high school sweethearts.
As one of the more formiddable defensive tackles in the league, Donald is expected to make big plays for the Rams on Sunday during the Super Bowl.
Here’s what you need to know about Donald’s girlfriend, Jaelynn Blakey:
1. Donald Has Two Children With Blakey, a Girl & a Boy
Donald has two young children with Blakey, a boy and a girl. They’ve been together since at least 2013, as Donald posted an Instagram of himself with Blakey and their first child in 2014.
Blakey used to have an Instagram handle named “@jaelynnb_99” in 2014 and 2015 but that account has since been deleted. Per Blakey’s Facebook, Blakey attended Penn Hills High School along with Donald and graduated in 2010, which is likely where they met. Her Facebook marks her location to be Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, though it’s unclear if she’s now based with Donald in Los Angeles for the Rams.
Blakey often posts pictures of Donald to Facebook, including more lighthearted photos of their themed family costumes for Halloween, where they dressed up as the Incredibles:
In September 2017, Blakey wrote a series of statuses about love and trust:
“keep it ? , I’d rather you trust me than to love me ??❤️”
“you try and ruin someones life & expect good things to come your way…. i think not ??♀️”
“Don’t play urself tryna play me ??♀️?”
2. Blakey Doesn’t Appear to Have an Instagram, But She Does Cheer Donald on Via Her Facebook Account
Blakey will often cheer on Donald and the Rams through her Facebook account, wearing Rams paraphernalia and her boyfriend’s jersey. Blakey will also share links and videos that mark the success of Donald.
For example, Blakey gave a shoutout to Donald on December 23 when he broke the record for NFL sacks in a single season by a defensive tackle.
Some earlier pictures on Blakey’s Facebook reveal that the two have likely been dating since high school, with pictures of her wearing a “Donald” jersey.
3. Donald’s Children Have Been Captured Cheering Him on in an Adorable Manner on More Than One Occasion
Donald’s young children often go to his games, wave fat heads of their father’s face, and even cheer their father on with their friends. Per the news station WPXI, Donald’s daughter, Jaeda, leaded her kindergarten class in a cheer for her father on January 31.
The adorable photo, in which the self-professed “Steelers fans” cheer for Los Angeles in the Super Bowl, can be seen below:
The video also confirms that Donald’s children are enrolled in school in the Ohio township of Pennsylvania.
4. Donald Comes From Western Pennsylvania, & Has Credited His Parents For His Success
According to Ron Graham, Donald’s head football coach in high school, Donald’s parents and brother were instrumental in Donald’s future success. Graham said to the Tribune Review, “He worked out in the mornings with his father lifting weights. Then he would do our conditioning, and then he would go to training afterward. You could see he had the work ethic. He’s a nice, humble guy, but on the field he was a real quality gladiator. You could see the drive and the part of him that was no quit.”
Donald’s mother, Anita Goggins, said to Tribune Review, “Of course, the baby gets babied. Aaron hasn’t changed. He’s still the same person he’s always been with all the fame, all the awards. Aaron is still Aaron. He’s a hometown kid. Everywhere I go, everybody’s rooting for the Rams. I’m extremely proud and excited.”
Goggins added, “I knew Aaron was great. Aaron was good at what he did. It’s surreal right now. He was always into football. He’s part of a football household. I believe that we will win this.”
5. Donald’s Brother, Archie Donald Jr., Was a Successful Collegiate Football Player
Archie Donald Jr. is Aaron Donald’s older brother, who played collegiate football at the University of Toledo. Per Sports Reference, Donald Jr. graduated from Toledo in 2010, and does not play in a professional league.
To ESPN, Archie Donald Jr. said of his brother, “He’s playing with an attitude. Even though he got that big paycheck, he still plays with a chip on his shoulder.”
Bill Johnson, the Rams’ defensive line coach, said to The New York Times, “What makes [Donald] different is no different than what makes a racehorse so great. They’re just sort of made to be, I guess. I don’t know. If I knew, I’d be cloning it.”
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Jaelynn Blakey, Aaron Donald’s Girlfriend: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know