Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay discussed the potential of Aaron Donald returning for the 2026 NFL season after his retirement in 2024.
Donald spent 10 years with the Rams, winning three Defensive Player of the Year awards and Super Bowl LVI. He walked away from the game at 32 years old in 2024, but the itch to return has re-emerged.
After the Rams’ acquisition of reigning DPOY Myles Garrett, Donald has seriously considered a return to the franchise for one more Super Bowl push.
Rams and Sean McVay are giving Aaron Donald the space he needs to make a decision
Rams head coach McVay spoke to reporters after practice and revealed where things stand with Donald’s return.
“He’s put himself in a position to be able to say yes or no. I think he’s earned that right to have clarity on that. We’re not at that point quite yet. We have some loose things where we’ve identified, you know, dates that we’d like to be able to hit. But what I don’t want to have is any sort of unnecessary pressure on him if there are some unforeseen circumstances.”
“We’ve had some tentative discussions behind the scenes. There’s a lot of stuff, without getting too granular with it… (We won’t) put some sort of invisible deadline on something that doesn’t exist in my mind.. “I feel great about our football team as it currently stands, and I know he’ll add value if he decides to come.”
Donald officially attended his second workout of the Rams’ training camp on Sunday as he continues to mull this decision.
Aaron Donald’s return to the Rams is still uncertain
McVay’s comments indicate that Donald is somewhat aware of the timeline that works best for the Rams, which he is likely taking into consideration.
There’s still about a month left before the regular season starts, so Donald could take another week or two before confirming his decision.
If he returns to the Rams’ defensive line alongside Garrett, it’s hard to imagine any team being able to boast having two DPOYs on their team simultaneously.
The only question is Donald’s physical condition, which most reports indicate is excellent. He won’t have to play as demanding a role as before because of Garrett’s presence. The Rams are the favourites to win the Super Bowl, so Donald’s addition makes them even stronger.
It might be an incredibly rewarding season for the lifelong Ram, but it also involves him signing up for another year of playing this physically grueling sport.
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