Aaron Donald’s NFL Return a ‘Real Possibility’ as Rams Reunion Gains Traction

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport revealed that Aaron Donald could make a comeback toward the end of the Rams training camp.

Aaron Donald’s NFL Return a ‘Real Possibility’ as Rams Reunion Gains Traction

Aaron Donald and Ian Rapoport inside the circle (Image via IMAGO/X)

Ian Rapoport gave an update on Aaron Donald that’s bound to excite Los Angeles Rams fans. According to Rapoport, the 35-year-old defensive end could re-sign with the Rams.

On Thursday’s segment of “The Insiders” on the NFL Network, Rapoport discussed Donald’s possible return to football.

A real possibility is probably a pretty good way to describe it. My understanding is Aaron Donald himself does not really know right now whether this is going to happen.

Ian Rapoport revealed

Last week, Donald visited the Rams’ facility. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Donald wanted to test out whether his “body” and “mind” could still keep up with regular football training. Schefter concluded that Donald returning to active football has gained a lot of traction. And he would only play for the Rams.

Rapoport echoed the same in his monologue. However, he also noted that Donald would not play every snap, as many fans hope to see.

If [Aaron Donald] does show up, it would probably even be to the end of training camp or maybe even be — could even be into the season, because he’s not going to be playing 50 or 60 plays on defense, he’d be more of a spot guy. But yes, Aaron Donald does seem to be exploring this possibility.

Rapoport stated

A first-round draft pick, Donald played 154 games for the Rams. He recorded 543 combined tackles, 111 sacks, 176 tackles for loss, 21 passes defensed, 24 forced fumbles and 7 forced returns.

During that time, Donald earned 8 All-Pro and 10 Pro Bowl honors. He became Defensive Player of the Year three times. He retired in March 2024.

Donald has been teasing his return for quite some time. This picked up pace after the Rams traded for Myles Garrett, the reigning DPOY. Garrett claimed that he has not spoken to Donald but would love to play alongside the future Hall of Famer.

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Why did Aaron Donald retire from the NFL?

It has been a little over two years since Donald announced his retirement. It came as a shock to most because Donald was still at the peak of his powers, and by the looks of it, he could still offer a lot to the game.

Aaron Donald's NFL Return a 'Real Possibility' as Rams Reunion Gains Traction
Aaron Donald (Image via IMAGO)

Fans and experts speculated about the reason behind his sudden decision until Donald explained. Donald claimed that he had accomplished everything he set out to do. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams, went to Pro Bowls, and earned a ton of money.

I think the passion to play the game is no longer there for me. I will always love football, but to think about going through another camp and another 17-[game] season, I just don’t got the urge to want to push myself through that no more. I’m just, I’m burnt out.

Aaron Donald had said (H/T Rams official website)

He has had time to spend with his family. So, nothing is stopping him from resuming his career. The Rams wouldn’t have to spend much to re-sign him. The veteran minimum should be enough to get some meaningful minutes out of him.

In other news, Garrett won two major awards at the 2026 ESPYs. The 30-year-old received the Best NFL Player Award and the Best Record-Breaking Performance Award for setting the single-season sack record (23). The ESPYs had Garrett’s girlfriend and two-time Olympic gold-medal-winning snowboarder Chloe Kim announce his name.

The Rams traded away Pro Bowl edge Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick in the Garrett deal. Garrett and the Rams agreed on a restructured five-year, $208.2 million deal, with $37 million fully guaranteed ⁠in 2026 and $99 million guaranteed through the 2028 season.

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