Aaron Donkor (born March 21, 1995) is a German-French professional American football linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

for Arkansas State and was signed by the

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...

as part of the International Player Pathway Program in 2021.

Early life and education

Donkor was born on March 21, 1995, in Göttingen. He grew up in Göttingen playing basketball, before later going to Düsseldorf to play professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

in 2016. In 2017, Donkor moved to United States to play

. He spent his first two years at New Mexico Military Institute, appearing in eight games as a freshman. As a sophomore, Donkor recorded 27 tackles, despite playing just four games. He also made 11.5 sacks that season. He transferred to the Division I Arkansas State University as a junior in 2019. Playing in six games, Donkor made 25 tackles. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.

Professional career

Düsseldorf Panther

As a 21-year-old in 2016, Donkor played professional football in Germany's top league for the Düsseldorf Panther. He led the German Football League that year with 14 sacks, 74 tackles, and 20 tackles-for-loss.

Seattle Seahawks

In 2021, Donkor was signed by the

as part of the International Player Pathway Program (IPPP). Though 26 years old as a National Football League (NFL) rookie, he "made a strong impression" in training camp. He was placed on the international/exempt list to start the season. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Seahawks on January 10, 2022. On August 28, 2022, Donkor was waived by the Seahawks and re-signed to the practice squad.

Houston Roughnecks

Donkor signed with the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL on February 28, 2023. He was released on March 27, 2023.

Arlington Renegades

Donkor signed with the Arlington Renegades of the XFL on April 14, 2023. He was released on June 15, 2023.

Calgary Stampeders

On July 2, 2023, Donkor was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL. He was placed on the Suspended List the same day.