Aaron Donald Rams return talk has Sean McVay excited
Sean McVay said Aaron Donald is using a strict process to decide whether to unretire and rejoin the Rams this season.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Aaron Donald Rams return chatter is no longer just fan fantasy. Los Angeles coach Sean McVay said Saturday that the retired defensive tackle is following a strict training and evaluation routine as he considers whether to play this season.
Speaking on the first day of Rams training camp at Loyola Marymount University, McVay said Donald is using a process similar to the one he relied on as an active player. The coach said he does not know what Donald will decide, but made clear the Rams would be ready to act if the franchise great wants back in.
McVay said that if Donald decides he wants to play, the team will try to make it happen. He added that Donald has earned the right to make the call on his own terms.
Donald retired in March 2024 after 10 NFL seasons. ESPN reported that the Rams’ June trade for Myles Garrett helped spark fresh talk about Donald potentially returning to line up with Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
Will Aaron Donald return to the Rams?
McVay said he does not have an answer yet. According to the coach, Donald is testing how his body reacts to training before deciding whether he can handle the demands of another NFL season.
McVay described Donald as meticulous and fully committed in anything he does. The coach said Donald is putting himself through the kind of work needed to know what being ready would look and feel like.
The door opened, McVay said, after he reached out to Donald while the Rams were discussing the Garrett trade. McVay wanted Donald’s view on the move, and the conversation grew from there.
The coach also admitted the possibility has him energized. McVay said he had not expected this scenario, but he would not pretend he was anything other than excited about it.
Why would Donald’s return be such a big deal?
Donald was the centerpiece of the Rams’ defensive front across his 10-year career, and a comeback would pair him with Garrett after Los Angeles made its offseason move for the star edge rusher. The team has not announced that Donald is returning, and McVay framed the situation as Donald’s decision alone.
The training camp update came as the Rams began work with other notable players in the building. Wide receiver Puka Nacua, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, reported to camp, and McVay said he expects him to practice.
McVay also said left tackle Alaric Jackson will be at training camp. Jackson was arrested in June on a domestic violence charge, but ESPN reported he will not face a felony charge.
McVay called Jackson’s legal matter ongoing and said the Rams are still gathering information. The coach did not announce any further team action on Jackson in the remarks reported by ESPN.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.