Aaron Donald has made his return.
According to team announcements, the defensive tackle is stepping out of retirement to link back up with the Los Angeles Rams. Various sources report that Donald agreed to a single-season, $20 million contract on Sunday, which includes the opportunity to make an additional $10 million through performance incentives.
This decision follows a major trade on June 1, in which the Rams acquired elite defensive force Myles Garrett.
“For the past 12 to 13 weeks, I have been training hard to condition my body to a level where I knew I could perform at a peak level and stay healthy,” Donald shared with NFL insider Jordan Schultz Sunday afternoon. “I’m prepared to return and chase something extraordinary with this team. We are back.”
Following the Rams’ trade for Garrett, supporters immediately began urging Donald to end his retirement, dreaming of a historically dominant and fearsome defensive line. While Donald took his time until Sunday, he ultimately delivered what the fanbase hoped for. He had previously stepped away from the sport on March 15, 2024, sitting out the subsequent two seasons.
Before stepping away, Donald had accumulated 111 sacks across 154 career appearances. This total ranks him 33rd in NFL history since the league began tracking sacks as an official statistic in 1982.
His most recent active season was in 2023, during which he appeared in 16 matchups for Los Angeles. Over that campaign, Donald recorded 53 combined tackles along with eight sacks.
Supporters were not alone in imagining a potential reunion with Donald once the Garrett acquisition was finalized. Head coach Sean McVay addressed this scenario during the press conference introducing Garrett, revealing that he had already been in contact with Donald regarding a potential comeback.
“Aaron is someone I remain in frequent contact with, and because I know how much he respects Myles, I discussed the prospect of bringing Myles in with him,” McVay remarked.
“Should Aaron decide to lace up his cleats again at 35 years old, I have no doubt he would still perform at an elite level.”
He played a pivotal role on the Los Angeles team that captured the Super Bowl title in 2022, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in a 23-20 victory.
An additional consequence of Donald’s comeback is the postponement of his Pro Football Hall of Fame eligibility timeline. Once the defensive star decides to retire for good, the five-year waiting period required for Canton enshrinement will begin anew.
For now, Donald is perfectly fine putting his Hall of Fame induction on hold. His immediate focus shifts to preparing for the Rams’ opening game of the season against the San Francisco 49ers, scheduled for September 10 in Melbourne, Australia.
