Aaron Donald's Comeback Decision Still Pending After Rams Workout
More than a week after going through a formal workout with the Los Angeles Rams, Aaron Donald still hasn't decided whether he'll come out of retirement to rejoin the team, though multiple reports indicate a decision could come within days.
Donald, who retired following the 2023 season after a decorated 10-year career, worked out with the Rams on August 5. He wore a helmet and used team equipment during the session, which required the Rams to report it to the NFL as an official workout under league rules. Head coach Sean McVay described it at the time as going well, saying Donald "looked outstanding," though he stopped short of saying whether the three-time Defensive Player of the Year was ready to return.
Speculation about a possible comeback first gained momentum after the Rams' June trade for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, which raised the possibility of Donald joining a defensive line already loaded with talent. According to Pro Football Rumors, the August workout was actually the second Donald has gone through with the team, following an earlier session in mid-July.
When the Rams wrapped up training camp at Loyola Marymount University last week, McVay confirmed there was still no decision from Donald, telling reporters his former star was "still continuing to go through his process." McVay has been careful not to characterize things as trending firmly in one direction, noting only that Donald "is feeling good" without confirming he's ready to play. The coach has said repeatedly that the Rams will wait as long as necessary for Donald to make up his mind, and has drawn a comparison to Donald's two contract holdouts earlier in his career, in 2017 and 2018, the latter of which wasn't resolved until Donald signed a six-year extension in late August.
The timeline has shifted some since the workout. Initial expectations were that Donald could make a decision within days of the session, but that window has since moved. NFL on NBC analyst Mike Florio said this week that a decision is now expected by the end of this week, while cautioning that the magnitude of the decision could lead Donald to take additional time. According to Florio, if Donald does return, the Rams' plan would be to bring him back gradually rather than into a full workload immediately, targeting somewhere between 30 and 40 snaps in his first game back — a season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia.
Donald has not spoken publicly in detail about his thinking. He did not confirm a comeback was happening when asked by fans during a recent public workout at UCLA, according to Pro Football Rumors. Since retiring, Donald has remained a presence around the team in an informal capacity, including putting current Rams defensive lineman Jared Verse through a personal workout at his home earlier this summer after Verse requested it publicly.
Donald finished his career with 111 sacks and 24 forced fumbles across 10 seasons, all with the Rams. He was named Defensive Player of the Year three times, made 10 Pro Bowls, and helped the franchise win Super Bowl LVI in the 2021 season. His name is widely expected to eventually reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame regardless of whether he returns to play again.
For now, the Rams say they have no firm deadline in place and are prepared to continue waiting. As McVay put it following the team's final camp practice, Donald "has earned the right to be able to say how he feels" about a potential return.
