Aaron Donald wanted to see how he felt putting on pads once again as he recently worked out at the Los Angeles Rams’ facilities
“He told the team that he wanted to go there, work out, see how he felt, see how he reacted, see everything that went along with being back in pads on the football field and seeing how it made him feel,” Schefter reported during a Monday appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. “I don’t know what he told them about that after he went through those workouts at the facility, but I really think it was just a trial method to see how his whole body reacted, how his mind reacted to being back out there.”
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“It’s an unbelievably attractive arrangement for him, it’s just a question of whether he wants to go through and do it. My guess is in the end that he will, just a guess. Because obviously he’s thinking hard about it, there are a lot of people that want him back there.”
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler previously reported that the former star defensive tackle hasn’t made a “firm decision” about ending his retirement, but there is a possibility that he plays in 2026
On Friday, Donald was seen at the Rams’ practice field in a video posted by TMZ Sports
He spent roughly one hour on the field doing ladder drills, medicine ball throws and agility work, per TMZ Sports
Donald ending his retirement and returning to his former team would give the Rams one of the most imposing defensive fronts in the NFL, as they already acquired star pass-rusher Myles Garrett in a trade with the Cleveland Browns on June 1
Both Donald and Garrett have teased the possibility of playing alongside each other following the swap
Donald amassed 176 tackles for loss and 111 sacks throughout his legendary stint with the Rams from 2014-23, earning three Defensive Player of the Year awards and helping his team capture a Super Bowl title during its 2021 campaign
While the 35-year-old hung up his cleats at the end of the 2023 season, he was still a productive piece of Los Angeles’ defense at the time. Donald racked up 53 tackles, 23 quarterback hits and eight sacks in 16 games that year
With the Rams looking to go on another deep playoff run following an NFC Championship Game appearance last season, they might bring back one of their all-time greatest players in the near future
