Superstar Myles Garrett’s blockbuster trade to the Los Angeles Rams sparked speculation that team icon Aaron Donald would return to the league for one last run to form an iconic defense. The front office didn’t hold back this offseason, making several splashes to secure top-end talent, and Donald’s return would be a massive cherry on top.
“The Ingredients Are There” for Aaron Donald To Join Myles Garrett at the Rams
As if Garrett putting his hand in the dirt for the Rams this season isn’t enough, fans might even get to see it happen next to one of the greatest to ever do it, Donald. At 35, the future Hall of Famer might very well still be capable of adding value to a pro defense, especially given how he has stayed in shape during retirement.
The Rams legend, however, isn’t rushing his decision, as he hasn’t yet announced his comeback.
Discussions are, nonetheless, taking place among prominent media figures, and ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter is the latest to weigh in on Donald’s possible return. The insider discussed the situation on “The Adam Schefter Podcast.”
“When you talk to all the people who are involved, no one is coming out right now and saying Aaron Donald is coming back,” Schefter said. “But everybody is acknowledging that it is a possibility. And the fact that it is even a possibility in June tells me that I think there is every possibility that it becomes more real in July.”
“I think, if and when they present a plan to him as to how he would be used, I think it’s more likely than not that he’ll be back,” Schefter added.
Breaking down the chances of Aaron Donald coming out of retirement to return to the Los Angeles Rams.
Cc: @tyschmit
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— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 9, 2026
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year made the Pro Bowl in all 10 of his seasons in the NFL. He’s also an eight-time First-Team All-Pro who already has a Super Bowl ring and was the highest-rated player on PFSN’s DT Impact Metric in four of his last five seasons in the league.
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Across the span of a decade-long NFL career, he averaged 11.1 sacks per season while missing just nine games in his career. If he can put up anything close to his career average when he returns, he’ll be a major asset for the Rams.
“Everybody thinks, ‘We’ll see, it’s possible, we’re talking about it, he has to commit to it, it still sounds like we’re [far] away,'” Schefter added. “He hasn’t gotten there yet. But the fact that this is even coming up, and the fact that the Rams have the team that they do, and the fact that Aaron Donald will get to play with Myles Garrett, and the fact that the Super Bowl is in LA this year — I just think the ingredients are there to make it happen.”
Donald, Garrett, and Kobie Turner on the defensive line, with Byron Young coming off the edge, would be a sight to behold, and it will be fascinating to see if the future Hall of Famer does end up playing in the upcoming NFL season.
