The Los Angeles Rams added arguably the most dominant defensive player in the game this offseason, but Myles Garrett soon may not be the most accomplished defensive lineman on his own team.
Just a month after the Rams completed a bombshell trade for the five-time All-Pro and two-time defensive player of the year, they are reportedly in the process of coaxing legendary D-tackle Aaron Donald from retirement to play in 2026.
Donald, who only turned 35 in May, is a three-time DPOY and eight-time All-Pro. He made the Pro Bowl in each of his 10 NFL seasons before retiring after the 2023 NFL season.
Donald has not played since 2023 and has 111 sacks, including an NFL-best 20.5 in 2018, and helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI in 2022.
Aaron Donald is Strongly Considering a Comeback
GettyAaron Donald, pictured on the sidelines at the NFC Championship Game in Seattle in 2025, is reportedly serious about coming back to the Rams this season.
Though he has not played in each of the past two seasons, Donald has remained around the Rams even in retirement and has reportedly is still in shape.
His coming out of retirement is enough of a concern to rival execs that they are beginning to worry about the impact of Donald this year.
âHeâs going to be a problem,â an unidentified NFL GM told Sports Boom. âHe didnât put on 50 pounds. Heâs stayed in shape. I donât think itâll take him that long to get back in game shape.â
The Rams, of course, parted with 2023 first-round pick and EDGE rusher Jared Verse to the Cleveland Browns in the deal that brough Garrett to LA. The Rams still have an elite D-line and linebacker corps, led by 2025 sack-leader Byron Young.
But adding Donald, who won’t be “a sporadic contributor” according to Jason La Canfora of Sports Boom, will add another supremely talented player to their defense.
“This is one of the more driven and impactful defensive linemen of his generation, and if he is coming back, and he will be, itâs not just to be a sporadic contributor,” La Canfora reported.
“The Rams are the betting favorites to lead the NFL in wins and to win the Super Bowl. Once Donaldâs plan becomes official, expect those odds to drop again.”
Aaron Donald’s Comeback May Not be Made Official Until Midseason
GettySean McVay and the Rams will wait as long as it takes to get Aaron Donald back on the field.
Donald has earned the right to take his time in coming back, and La Canfora confirmed the veteran isn’t going to be leading stretching lines when camp opens at Loyola Marymount on July 25.
“There remains no firm timetable for him to formalize his decision, let alone report to the Rams, and they will keep that option open for him as long as he wants,” La Canfora wrote. “Donât expect to see Donald for the start of camp and the early stages of practices.
“The Rams will come out saying Donald will be on a pitch count and they will take their time ramping him up for game action.”
Still, the Rams ranked 10th in the NFL in points-against per game and were neck-and-neck with the eventual-Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. If not for a few stops, or even a few plays, the Rams may have won the Lombardi Trophy last year.
Garrett was expected to be the player that puts them over the top. But Donald, even at 35, is no slouch either.
“Donald was a perennial favorite to be the NFLâs defensive player of the year, and he retired with one Lombardi Trophy already on his resume and at the top of his game, not as a declining veteran just hanging on for another paycheck,” La Canfora wrote. “He played 10 years before retiring in 2023, and was one of the best-conditioned players in the game throughout his tenure.”
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