Over sixty days have passed since whispers first emerged suggesting Aaron Donald could end his retirement to rejoin the Rams for the current season, though such a return has not yet materialized.
These rumors were sparked back in June following a surprising blockbuster trade by the Rams to obtain Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. Within a day of that transaction, chatter about Donald began circulating, giving the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year an opportunity to dismiss the reports, but he chose instead to intensify the speculation. On June 2, Donald confessed that he was seriously considering making a return.
“I am definitely entertaining the concept,” Donald remarked to Jordan Schultz. “It is an incredible chance with the Super Bowl taking place at SoFi this season. If I can rediscover that inner drive, there is a chance.”
While those words were spoken in June, two months down the road, Donald’s comeback appears to be far more than just “a possibility.” Looking at the sequence of events over the last eight weeks, all signs point to Donald preparing for a return this season, prompting us to forecast the exact timing of his official unretirement. But before we lay out that timeline, let us examine the reasons why his return appears so highly probable.
Indicators pointing toward a Donald comeback
Following his June 2 admission about a potential comeback, the discussions surrounding Donald went quiet for about four weeks, only to reignite rapidly on July 10, which serves as our starting point.
July 10: Caught on camera by TMZ. On this day, TMZ spotted Donald training at the Rams’ headquarters. Prior to this event, Donald’s level of commitment to a comeback remained uncertain, but TMZ secured footage of the defensive star practicing on the Rams’ turf, greatly fueling the narrative that he would end his two-year retirement. When training camp opened, Sean McVay even poked fun at the media outlet catching Donald at the facility. Since the Rams were hosting camp at Loyola Marymount, McVay was questioned on whether Donald might train at their standard headquarters in Woodland Hills, California. “The facility is currently empty, though perhaps TMZ has better insights on that,” McVay quipped.
July 31: McVay drops a major clue about Donald’s comeback. Following the Rams’ inaugural padded practice of camp on July 31, McVay noted that the likelihood of Donald returning was “pointing in a positive direction.” The head coach also provided the initial indication of when Donald might announce his comeback. McVay emphasized that Donald would not sign while the roster was still operating out of Loyola Marymount. “Once we transition back to Woodland Hills, we will have a clearer picture of the schedule,” McVay explained. “No final determinations regarding Aaron will be made during our stay here. That has been the understanding established in our discussions over the last fortnight.”
With the Rams wrapping up their training at LMU on August 7, a formal decision from Donald could be announced at any time following that date.
August 1: McVay speaks with CBS Sports HQ. As part of the CBS Sports HQ camp tour, a stop was made at Loyola Marymount, where two-time Super Bowl champion Bryant McFadden had an engaging chat with McVay. The Rams’ coach was tasked with responding to questions using only facial expressions, and his reaction to an inquiry regarding Donald’s return strongly suggested that the 35-year-old is on the verge of returning.
August 5: An unexpected update from the league’s transaction report. Although the frequency of Donald’s visits to the Rams’ complex since July 10 remains unknown, his presence was officially recorded on August 5 via the league’s transaction log. Donald visited to conduct a workout utilizing a football helmet and used the team’s training gear. Consequently, the Rams were obligated to log the activity with the NFL, which categorized the session as a “tryout.”
“That is easily the finest tryout we have ever witnessed; I believe he has a real shot at the roster,” McVay joked on Wednesday regarding the event. “In truth, it was simply our method of training with him while remaining compliant with league guidelines.”
Forty-eight hours following his sessions with the Rams, Donald was seen training on UCLA’s campus, sporting a Rams helmet during the workout. In a video shared across social media, a youthful supporter questioned Donald on whether he plans to come out of retirement and rejoin the Rams.
“I have not decided just yet, we will have to wait and see,” Donald answered.
What is the significance of these developments? This brings us to the next critical question.
Will Donald actually end his retirement?
To summarize the facts: the Rams do not expect Donald to make his comeback until training camp wraps up, with their final session at LMU scheduled for August 7, making any announcement likely to occur after that date. Furthermore, Donald’s official workout with the franchise on Wednesday suggests that both parties are taking the concluding steps toward finalizing a return.
While Donald is undoubtedly in excellent physical condition, he probably lacks game-ready conditioning. Achieving peak football shape requires active participation on the gridiron, meaning Donald would benefit from rejoining the squad in the coming weeks. Since all 32 franchises must finalize their 53-man rosters by August 30, the Rams will surely want a resolution before then, establishing a logical target date.
BREECH’S FORECAST: Considering these factors, a return window between August 9 and August 16 looks highly probable. Rejoining the team on August 9 would allow him some snaps in an exhibition match to regain his rhythm. Conversely, arriving on August 16 might keep him out of preseason action but would afford him three full weeks of preparation ahead of the Rams’ season opener in Australia versus the 49ers. If forced to pin down an exact date, August 10 stands out. The Rams will have settled back into their Woodland Hills facility by then, and introducing Donald at the start of that week would serve as a perfect homecoming.
Because Donald remains under contract with Los Angeles, his previous agreement will immediately go back into effect once he decides to play. This reactivation would obligate the Rams to pay him roughly $30 million for 2026, which may require the front office to adjust his contract details to ensure salary cap compliance.
PROGNOSTICATIONS FROM A FORMER LEAGUE EXECUTIVE: Naturally, my projection could turn out to be completely incorrect—hardly an unprecedented occurrence—and should that occur, former Titans general manager Ran Carthon has proposed an alternative approach that could appeal to Donald.
Carthon, who served half a decade as the Rams’ director of player personnel from 2012 to 2016 and was present when the team drafted Donald in 2014, shared his thoughts on the “With the First Pick” podcast, guessing that Donald might delay his return until the regular season is already underway.
“I am skeptical about seeing him on the field in early September,” Carthon stated. “From Aaron Donald’s perspective, coming out of retirement only to miss out on a championship wouldn’t make much sense. I suspect he will observe a few matches first to gauge the squad’s performance. If things are looking bright, we might witness his return around mid-September or early October. Should the team struggle, he might choose to stay away entirely.”
Faced with matchups against San Francisco, New York, and Denver to kick off the schedule, Carthon believes Donald may evaluate those outcomes before finalizing a choice. While the exact date remains up in the air, his return currently feels like an inevitability.
Prior to stepping away from the game, Donald secured a championship ring in 2021 when the Rams defeated the Bengals on their home turf at SoFi Stadium. With the Super Bowl returning to SoFi this season, that ultimate prize appears to be the primary motivator drawing him back to the gridiron.
