Donald’s Debut is Highly Anticipated

Woodland Hills, CA (News4usonline) – The anticipation of Aaron Donald has hit a crescendo. After missing the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams defensive end is expected to be front and center in the action on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants. 

At least that’s the plan, Donald said after a recent practice.  

“I think that’s all of our plan,” Donald remarked. “We have a conversation, we figure it out, but I’m feeling really good. I feel a lot better now that I got more practice under my belt instead of one. I’m getting in the groove of things, understanding everything a lot better out there, playing a lot more free, a lot more loose, and looking more like myself to me.” 

Rams head coach Sean McVay, before the team’s Saturday’s practice, all confirmed that Donald will make his season debut at SoFi Stadium on Monday. 

“If he said it, he’s going,” McVay said. “Whatever Aaron says, I support. He’s been awesome.” 

The need and want for Donald to return could not be more timelier for McVay and the Rams. Donald will pick up the slack for the time being on the Rams’ defensive line where Myles Garrett was expected to be a dominant fixture. 

That will have to wait. Garrett, the reigning two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, was injured in the season opener against the 49ers and will miss a good amount of time.   

McVay is in no hurry to rush Garrett back. As of now, he’s decided not to give a definitive date on the pass rusher’s return.    

“I’m reluctant to put a timeline on it,” McVay explained during his mid-week press conference. “We’ve talked about it. We know that he’s going to miss those four weeks at a minimum and we’re not going to rush him back. We want to make sure that he’s feeling good, he’s able to get out on the practice field, do all the things that are necessary for him to perform at a level that he’s been accustomed to.”

Losing Garrett is a tough blow for a team with high expectations to reach the Super Bowl. With that said, having Donald available to play is a gift for the Rams. 

“It’s big, because it’s a bummer really for Myles,” McVay said. “We’ll look forward to him getting back. The surgery went well like we talked about. But Aaron is a stud and he’s been at the forefront of setting the foundation of everything that we’re about here.”

One thing for sure, Donald’s presence will bring about a lot of attention from a national television audience perspective and from the Giants themselves. Since the Rams came up short-handed on their trip to Australia, in terms of recording a victory against their NFC West rivals, the energy is sure going to be electric on Monday night.

When the Rams take the field against the Giants, it would have been 11 days since they played the 49ers, which McVay describes as “an eternity, it has been forever.” He and the team are raring to go, McVay said.           

“We’re excited to compete again though, just like what you’re asking,” McVay quipped. “The thing that’s unique is obviously as a competitor, if things don’t go down the way you want, you just can’t wait to get back out there and go put yourself out there and know there’s always the unpredictability of the outcome. But let’s go swing. Let’s go for it.” 

Lead Photo of Aaron Donald courtesy of Dennis J. Freeman/News4usonline