The return of three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald is a real possibility this season.
Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead said this is the first time Donald has considered returning to the NFL since retiring in 2024. When the Rams traded for Myles Garrett earlier this offseason, Donald said the move made him consider coming back to join forces with the two-time NFL DPOY.
“This is the first time that he’s had an itch, right, to scratch that football itch and maybe come back and do something meaningful,” Snead said during an appearance on Post Sport’s Schein Time.
Donald Hasn’t Made A Decision
Donald did not make a decision before the first day of training camp, which was on Sunday at Loyola Marymount University.
But Snead said the 10-time Pro Bowler has rediscovered an “edge” he has not had since helping the Rams win the Super Bowl in 2021.
“Since we celebrated that last championship, Aaron hasn’t had this edge,” Snead said. “I don’t think Aaron’s ever really thought, ‘Okay, I wish I was playing football.’ But I think everything that we’ve done, kind of where we’re at, it’s the first time he’s thinking about it in a very serious manner.”
Snead added that Donald is still weighing the pros and cons of coming out of retirement. When he initially retired in 2021, Donald said he was burnt out and no longer wanted to commit to the demands of training for a full NFL season.
“I know he’s thinking about it in a serious manner,” Snead said. “He’s going through his process to make sure if he does say yes, or if he does say no, there’s a rhyme and reason to that.”
The Rams reportedly do not plan to set a deadline for when Donald has to make his decision.