Aaron Donald’s return talk intensifies 

Los Angeles (News4usonline) – The clamor around Aaron Donald seems to get louder by the day. The Rams wrapped up their summer run at Loyola Marymount University to head back to their practice facility in Woodland Hills in preparation for the 2026 NFL season. 

They do so with a trail of buzz talk that there is a strong possibility that Donald might come out of retirement to link up with the team one more time to make another Super Bowl run. Donald’s recent workout with the team has only heightened speculation around his possible return.   

“He looked great,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “It was really more for him to continue to do the things that I’ve shared with you guys. He looked great and he’s still continuing to go through his process. No new news on that front.”  

While he fielded numerous questions aligned with Donald’s possible return, McVay also shared his thoughts about his overall impressions of what he has seen from his team throughout training camp.

“I think it’s been good,” McVay remarked. “I think you take it a day at a time. Yesterday, I thought was probably just overall, there were some good moments for each side, but I think it was not a good practice for us. I think we are better than what yesterday was and I thought the guys came out with the intentionality. The day before that, before we took a little bit of a break, I thought it was a really good day.”

McVay’s evaluation of his team having a good day might turn into a great one in the near future after he affirmed Donald’s workout for the ballclub. 

The workout signals there is a strong possibility that the former three-time Defensive Player of the Year pass rusher is only a few steps away from making an official return to football. 

“We’ve had a plan in place for a while, like I’ve told you guys, and the workout was one of those things,” quipped McVay. “Really, it was semantical to be able to use the equipment and things like that to fall under the legalities of CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement]. He’s very deliberate and intentional about what this looks like.”

“I’m careful to say things are going in the right direction. He’s feeling good. We’re not to where we’re able to say whether or not he is or isn’t ready to do it, but he’s doing great. He looked outstanding, as I think all of us would expect,” McVay added. 

The build up of the Donald derby is big news in the Rams camp and has dominated talk with his possible return to a retooled defense that now includes star rusher Myles Garrett and cornerback bookends Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watkins. 

By adding Garrett, McDuffie and Watkins to their defensive lineup, the Rams had already made their case as the most star-lit football team in the NFL this season. 

Garrett, himself, is coming off a season in which he was tapped as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, and is a two-time DPOY honoree. McDuffie and Watkins, of course, are bowl champions, coming off their stay with the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Early in camp, McDuffie ushered a humble approach to the Rams defensive potential.  

“Honestly, like I don’t know if many guys feel the expectation that everybody claims that we have,” McDuffie said. “For us, we’re here to play football, to enjoy each other, whoever’s in the locker room. Honestly, just get to know each other. I feel like all the expectation, all that we leave to you guys hyping us up. But whoever’s on this field, whoever’s on the team, whoever’s in the locker room, I think we do a good job at just enjoying each other’s presence and just living in the moment. That’s the best thing you can do about it.” 

The Rams defense is loaded. If you add Donald to that mix of greatness, the Rams very well could have an all-time unit. Like everyone else, though, Garrett has only been able to read the tea leaves on the Donald situation. 

“No, we haven’t had any discussions,” Garrett said in reply to a question from reporters about if he has had any type of conversations with Donald about his possible return.  

“Hopefully, we’ll link up here soon, see where his head is at and just break bread with him as well,” Garrett went on to say.  “I don’t know how he’s feeling or where he is in this process, but it is a process coming back from so much time off. I’m not going to push him either way, but I’ll [try to] just get a feel on it.”  

Cover Art/Lead Image: Inglewood, CA – Aaron Donald, who played 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, was celebrated by the team during a halftime ceremony at SoFI Stadium on Nov. 23, 2025. During his 10-year career in the NFL, Donald was named Defensive Player of the Year three times and was named All-Pro eight times. Photo credit: Mark Hammond / News 4Us Online