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There continue to be plenty of reports and rumors regarding Los Angeles Rams legend Aaron Donald ending his retirement to play in 2026. The entire saga started with the addition of Myles Garrett, who is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
Donald initially spoke about being content not playing football, but the addition of Garrett led to a change in his tune, as he indicated it may have lit a fire under him to come back for a truly final season. In a new social media post, the Rams defender also offered a cryptic response to his return rumors.
Clutchpoints created a post that shows Donald holding up two Super Bowl rings. He received only one in 2021, and the allure of winning one with the current Rams roster is clearly there.
Donald did not need to say much, as he offered the wide-eyed emoji as a response to the idea that he would be able to team up with Garrett.
It's rare that an MVP and Defensive Player of the Year get to play on the same team, which is now the case as Matthew Stafford and Garrett are on the roster together. It might even be rarer for two Defensive Player of the Year winners to also play on the same roster at the same time.
Should Donald come out of retirement, he would line up next to Garrett and offer the Rams a pass rush that may be nearly impossible to stop.
To be fair, Donald has also not played football since the conclusion of the 2023 season, and he indicated that he needs to see if that "fire" remains there to play. He has stayed in shape, but lifting weights and staying fit isn't the same thing as being in football shape.
Donald could return, but may only be used sparingly due to having been retired for the past two years. There are also a ton of weapons on the Rams' defense, so his arrival would mean less playing time for the budding playmakers.
That said, defensive coordinator Chris Shula could certainly scheme up some plays that would utilize Donald's power in a unique and minimal way.
Many have suggested the future Hall of Famer would play on limited snaps, and that would make complete sense. Regardless if he is in somewhat football shape, he is an older player coming back into playing a sport that is unforgiving.
Despite rumors and reports not being answered, Donald continues to drive the idea that he might actually come back to play with the Rams in 2026.
Continue reading...
Donald initially spoke about being content not playing football, but the addition of Garrett led to a change in his tune, as he indicated it may have lit a fire under him to come back for a truly final season. In a new social media post, the Rams defender also offered a cryptic response to his return rumors.
Clutchpoints created a post that shows Donald holding up two Super Bowl rings. He received only one in 2021, and the allure of winning one with the current Rams roster is clearly there.
Donald did not need to say much, as he offered the wide-eyed emoji as a response to the idea that he would be able to team up with Garrett.
It's rare that an MVP and Defensive Player of the Year get to play on the same team, which is now the case as Matthew Stafford and Garrett are on the roster together. It might even be rarer for two Defensive Player of the Year winners to also play on the same roster at the same time.
Should Donald come out of retirement, he would line up next to Garrett and offer the Rams a pass rush that may be nearly impossible to stop.
To be fair, Donald has also not played football since the conclusion of the 2023 season, and he indicated that he needs to see if that "fire" remains there to play. He has stayed in shape, but lifting weights and staying fit isn't the same thing as being in football shape.
Donald could return, but may only be used sparingly due to having been retired for the past two years. There are also a ton of weapons on the Rams' defense, so his arrival would mean less playing time for the budding playmakers.
That said, defensive coordinator Chris Shula could certainly scheme up some plays that would utilize Donald's power in a unique and minimal way.
Many have suggested the future Hall of Famer would play on limited snaps, and that would make complete sense. Regardless if he is in somewhat football shape, he is an older player coming back into playing a sport that is unforgiving.
Despite rumors and reports not being answered, Donald continues to drive the idea that he might actually come back to play with the Rams in 2026.
Continue reading...
