We reported earlier this summer of him working out at the Rams facilityt and now the speculation has become reality- Aaron Donald is officially coming out of retirement.
The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year is returning to the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year, $20 million deal with incentives that can push the contract to $30 million, according to NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport.
Donald, who retired following the 2023 season, is now set to reunite with the franchise where he spent his entire 10-year career.
And the timing couldn’t be crazier.
After the Rams acquired Myles Garrett this offseason, speculation immediately grew that Donald could potentially return to Los Angeles. Now, that possibility is officially a reality.
The Rams are bringing back one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history to line up alongside one of the league’s most dominant pass rushers.
Donald finished his first Rams tenure with 111 sacks, 543 tackles, 176 tackles for loss and 24 forced fumbles, while earning eight first-team All-Pro selections and three Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Now imagine an offensive line having to account for:
Myles Garrett off the edge.
Aaron Donald attacking the interior.
That could be an absolute nightmare.
Donald hasn’t played since 2023, so questions about his conditioning and how much he has left at age 35 are completely fair. But if he can still resemble even a fraction of the player he was during his prime, the Rams’ defensive front just became one of the most terrifying units in football.
Aaron Donald + Myles Garrett.
Football fans are about to find out just how dangerous that combination can be.
