The “human cheat code” Aaron Donald reached a new milestone on Tuesday morning, this time in the pixel universe.
The Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle scored a 99 rating for Madden NFL ’21, making it the fifth year in a row he’s reached the highest number for player ratings in the popular video game among football fans.
ESPN’s Twitter account was the one giving Donald his “human cheat code” label.
Aaron Donald is a human cheat code 🤯 #Madden22
His team gave “A.D. 99” his congratulations with this graphic released at 5:13 a.m. PT.
Count ‘em.
5x #99Club for @AaronDonald97.
Donald Gets Told of His Rating by His Wife
It wasn’t EA Sports, the company behind Madden, that had representatives telling Donald about his fifth straight 99 rating. It was Donald’s wife.
In a video posted on social media through the EA twitter account, Donald’s wife Erica helped give the 30-year-old Donald his surprise about scoring 99.
“It’s a super big deal because it’s his fifth year doing it,” Erica Donald said in the video.
Donald’s wife and his kids helped decorate the family backyard with five flamingos, five balloons, five inflatable donuts and finally, had Donald find a briefcase with Donald’s 99 rating card inside. Donald hugged the case before pulling out the “99 Madden Club” card.”
“Fifth year in a row! That’s five straight!” Donald says in the video. “I grew up playing Madden. Still play Madden today. To be 99 not just one or two years in a row but five years straight, words can’t express how I feel right now man. Just pumped up about it.”
The entire video can be seen below.
Not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5️⃣ for @AaronDonald97!!
Along with the 99 overall score, Donald was given a 99 rating in two of the individual skill categories: 99 in strength and the same number in awareness. His speed got rewarded with an 82 score.
Online Congrats Pour In
The online reactions began to sprout. One fan gave Donald the Booker T treatment, as the legendary wrestler was known for saying “Five time! Five Time!” throughout his career.
@RamsNFL @AaronDonald97 @EAMaddenNFL 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time, 5 time 99 club member
Meanwhile, Rams team reporter Stu Jackson offered EA Sports this suggestion.
Phil DeCapito, who serves as a defensive quality control coach at Donald’s alma mater Pittsburgh gave this one word hashtag.
The Fox Bet Twitter page not only responded to Donald’s rating, but gave this prediction for the 2020 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Even non-Rams like Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl safety Tyrann Mathieu offered their reaction and praise for the Rams defender.
Then, there’s the chief trainer of Donald in Steel City, who claimed this bragging right about the Ram.
Donald’s cornerback teammate Darious Williams, though, says Donald should be a different number.
He need to be 100
Lastly, the Rams Twitter account took Jackson’s cue, and put together this 57 second online video.
Donald joins Green Bay’s Davante Adams as the only 99 players in the video game.
Other Rating Notes
Donald not only reached the 99 club, but was one of four NFC West representatives who reached a 92 or higher.
Although, the other players not named Aaron Donald are all on the Arizona Cardinals.
Wide receiver De’Andre Hopkins followed Donald and Adams with a 98 player rating. Outside linebacker Chandler Jones scored a 94 and newcomer J.J. Watt also joined Jones in the 94 category.
More on the player ratings can be found here.
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A 99 for 99: Aaron Donald Claims Video Game Milestone Once Again