After the Los Angeles Rams decided to send star linebacker Aaron Donald to the Buffalo Bills, many fans immediately looked at the schedule and found Week 4. It just so happens that Donald’s first game back in Los Angeles will be a little more than a month after the surprising trade that sent him to the AFC. Even though the eight-time Pro Bowler is surely wanting to get back at the team that wouldn’t give him a long-term deal, some things about his visit to Los Angeles won’t be fun.
Going up against old teammates is something that happens to a lot of NFL players. Donald now has the tough job of trying to tackle the quarterback he used to stand next to on the sidelines, Matthew Stafford.
“It’s not going to be easy,” Donald told The Associated Press. “Matthew is my friend. He was always a great leader for me. But you know how it goes. I always told him if I ever had to play against him, it would be a battle. So, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens on Sunday.”
Sean McVay says Rams have no plans for Aaron Donald tribute when Los Angeles faces Bills
Brad Crawford
Even with limited playing time, Donald has already made a big impact for the Bills. He recorded a tackle in his first game in Week 1, added another half tackle in Week 2, and already has 15 quarterback pressures in three games. Even when he doesn’t make the tackle, he makes it harder for the other team’s quarterback. Soon, Stafford will feel that pressure.
“I knew what was going to happen weeks ago when the trade was made,” Donald told the AP. “It’s just about playing another game and doing what I do best, which is to be a player who causes problems for the other team. I think the media and the fans are trying to make it a bigger deal than it is, but I just see it as another game at SoFi Stadium.”
Things got tense between Donald and Rams owner Stan Kroenke during long talks that started in 2023. Donald asked to be traded out of Los Angeles soon after training camp started this summer. Instead of giving in to his star pass rusher’s demands, Kroenke made a deal with Buffalo to take him off the roster.
The Bills quickly gave Donald what he wanted in Los Angeles, signing him to a four-year, $186 million contract with $120 million guaranteed.
“I respect him a lot, and we know him very well,” Kroenke said about Donald. “You can be sure that we’ll be ready for what he can do. We’ll also be trying to find ways to stop him.”
