Future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald’s return from retirement after two years was the biggest news of the weekend. On Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams and Donald agreed to a one-year, $20 million deal, which could rise to $30 million.
Donald left the NFL at the peak of his powers, earning his 10th Pro Bowl nod and eighth first-team All-Pro selection. But former NFL cornerback Domonique Foxworth was not sure that the Rams would get the same version of Donald during his comeback tour.
Ex-NFL CB Unsure of Aaron Donald’s Rams Comeback
During Monday’s segment of “The Domonique Foxworth Show,” Foxworth delivered a brutal assessment of Donald’s form after announcing his comeback on Sunday.
“I mean, what’s more likely is best in the league or washed?” Foxworth said. “It’s definitely more likely that he’s washed, but I mean, I think it’s probably unlikely either end of the spectrum. I’d be surprised if he plays enough snaps per game to be considered the best three technique.
“I think I’d also be surprised if the snaps that he was out there, he was getting his [expletive] kicked. He’s going to play well. Like, I don’t think he’s going to be the dominant force that he was when he retired. There’s a chance, but I don’t think so.”
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After announcing his return, Donald revealed that the decision to return was made two weeks ago, but that preparations began 14 weeks ago.
The Rams’ trade for the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, influenced Donald to unhang his boots and bolster a defensive unit that earned a PFN Defense Impact score of 87.1 (No. 5 in the league).
Rams head coach Sean McVay was unsure whether Donald would play in the team’s season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia.
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Foxworth further detailed why Donald might not be as dominant during his return as he was in his prime.
“If you’re asking, like I think, why would he not be as great as he was before? I think it’s hard if you ask it that way because I don’t think he’s any less strong,” Foxworth said. “I think he probably has lost some physical endurance that may or may not come all the way back. His quickness, I think, has probably gone down a taste. The thing is, he was playing like the best at the position ever.
“So, if he’s degraded, if his skills have degraded some, he’s still going to be incredible. I know he’s going to be good. I just think it’s ridiculous to think that he’s going to just walk off the beach and just be the best of all time again. It’s possible though.”
Donald spent his entire 10-year NFL career with the Rams, who selected him No. 13 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. He won the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and established himself as one of the league’s most dominant defensive ends, winning three Defensive Player of the Year awards.
