The Los Angeles Rams sit at 11-4, possessing one of the NFL’s most dominant defenses. Yet, in the race for the NFC West, they still trail the Seattle Seahawks by a single game.
While the roster looks ready for a deep January run, one NFL legend believes a specific phone call could seal the deal. The suggestion doesn’t involve a trade or a waiver wire addition, but rather convincing a future Hall of Famer to put the pads back on.
Why Does Jason Kelce Want the Los Angeles Rams to Sign Aaron Donald?
Los Angeles appears to be a genuine contender, and the numbers support this assessment. Chris Shula’s unit ranks seventh in points allowed (19.9) and leads the league in stopping rushing touchdowns with just seven allowed. Additionally, they sit fifth in the PFSN Defense Impact metric and have forced 27 turnovers.
Despite this success, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce thinks they need one more piece. On his “New Heights” podcast, he made a direct plea: “Aaron Donald. Bring AD back. Go on a Super Bowl run, AD.”
Donald last played in the 2023 season, retiring at age 32. Now, late in the 2025 campaign, that two-year gap raises valid questions. Social media posts suggest he attacks the weight room just as hard as during his playing days. However, gym strength differs from football shape.
The latter requires specific cardio and the physical resilience to handle constant contact. There is a real chance that once Donald stopped hitting offensive linemen, he never planned to start again.
If he returned, what would his workload look like? Asking him to play 75% of the snaps seems unrealistic, but a specialized role could work. Giving Donald 20-25 snaps strictly in passing situations wouldn’t disrupt the chemistry built by Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, and Braden Fiske. Los Angeles usually runs a 3-4 base defense but shifts to a four-man front on passing downs.
In those subpackages, the defense maximizes pressure while relying on dime coverage behind the line. Adding Donald to that specific mix creates a terrifying scenario for opposing quarterbacks.
Is Donald Actually Interested in a Comeback?
The biggest hurdle isn’t the scheme or the physical requirements; it’s the mental aspect. It’s the player himself. Just a month ago, Donald spoke to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk about his feelings on retirement.
“To be honest with you, I never have had an itch after I retired to be like, ‘I want to come back; I want to play football still.’ You miss things from the game, but for me, it’s not really playing. It’s being in the locker room, hanging with the guys, watching film, cracking jokes–more the camaraderie with the fellas. I love the game of football, but I just don’t love playing it anymore.”
Even following their loss to Seattle, the Rams remain firmly in the playoff picture. But based on those comments, they will likely have to chase the Lombardi Trophy without him.
