Story by
Oliver G., Rams Wire
Mon, July 13, 2026 at 8:32 PM UTC·2 min read
The Aaron Donald comeback rumors just picked up another gear
Days after a video surfaced of the retired Rams legend running through drills at the team’s practice facility, ESPN’s Adam Schefter offered some clarity on what exactly Donald was doing there — and where his head might be
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Appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Schefter said the session was more of a gut check than a sign of his return
“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 said. “Now, 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.”
Schefter went further, laying out just how appealing a return could be for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, who has been out of football since retiring in March 2024
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Schefter added that he thinks Donald will ultimately suit up again, pointing to the added pull of the Super Bowl landing in Los Angeles this year and how the Rams might utilize him to take pressure off of Myles Garrett
It’s been a noisy offseason for the Donald return watch, and it’s only intensified since the Rams traded for Garrett. The workout video was just the latest data point. On Saturday, Garrett posted a photo of a Donald jersey to his Instagram story, fanning the flames further. Then on Sunday, receiver Davante Adams got in on it, posting “My brudda” alongside a photo with Donald — which Donald himself reposted
None of it amounts to confirmation. Donald hasn’t signed anything, hasn’t practiced with the team and hasn’t said publicly he’s coming back. But between the workout tape, the teases from Garrett and Adams, and now Schefter’s read on the situation, the signals are pointing in one direction
If Donald does return, the Rams would be adding a future Hall of Famer to a defensive front already anchored by the NFL’s active sacks leader. That pairing that would make life miserable for opposing offensive lines
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For now, it’s still Donald’s decision to make
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Adam Schefter sheds light on the viral Aaron Donald workout video
