The Los Angeles Rams are loading up for a Super Bowl run in 2026. If that wasn’t clear, the team’s decision to swing a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns for superstar defensive end Myles Garrett should confirm that train of thought. And if it were up to the Rams, they wouldn’t be done making massive additions to their defense just yet.
Immediately after acquiring Garrett, fans began to speculate about the potential unretirement of franchise legend Aaron Donald. While nothing substantial has come to light to suggest that Donald is actually open to returning to the NFL, a recent report has suggested that L.A. is leaving the door open in case he decides to get back on the field.
Rams Hoping Aaron Donald Returns for the 2026 Campaign
It’s tough to find a defensive player from this generation who has been more dominant than Garrett (after all, he did just break the NFL’s single-season sack record in 2025), but if there’s someone who can top him, it’s probably Donald. During his 10-year career, Donald immediately established himself as arguably the greatest interior defensive lineman in the history of the league.
Donald earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his 10 seasons, while also getting selected to the All-Pro First Team eight times. In addition to that, Donald was the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year, and he also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award three times. Simply put, it’s tough to find anyone who has the sort of resume that Donald possesses.
After the 2023 campaign, Donald decided to retire at the age of 32, even though he was still playing at a very high level. The Rams have managed to get by without him, and adding Garrett into the fold should help replace him in a big way. But what if these two guys teamed up? According to Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom, it sounds like Los Angeles isn’t ruling out a potential return for Donald in the 2026 season.
“There is mounting chatter among players who know Donald as well as in coaching and scouting circles that Donald could be back at some point in 2026,” La Canfora reported. “While some have started the drumbeat now, with training camp a little over a month away, the reality is the Rams would keep the door ajar for Donald to return at any point it made sense, according to league sources, whether that early in season or mid-season.”
Could Aaron Donald Actually Play for the Rams in 2026?
GettyFormer Los Angeles Rams legend Aaron Donald
The concept of the Rams adding Donald to a defensive front that already features Garrett, Byron Young, and Kobie Turner is an incredibly scary proposition. And again, while Donald did decide to call it a career, it wasn’t because his play declined. In his final season in 2023, Donald finished the year with 53 tackles (16 of which went for a loss), eight sacks, and three pass breakups, which earned him his final Pro Bowl and All-Pro First Team selections.
Would Donald actually consider unretiring in an effort to help Los Angeles in its quest to win a Super Bowl in 2026? Right now, nobody seems to know, but the fact that chatter is beginning to pick up in league circles is telling. There’s no timetable for a decision on Donald’s future, but his status has suddenly become worth keeping tabs on in the wake of the Garrett trade.
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