Aaron Donald Comes Out of Retirement

On Aug. 30, 2026, around 1:26 pm, the Los Angeles Rams announced that they would be signing formerly retired Defensive Tackle Aaron Donald to a one-year 20 million dollar contract. The league has had a multitude of reactions, featured by the New York Post,  like one from former Indianapolis Colts Pat McAfee, who posted,“‘BREAKING: Myles Garret and Aaron Donald are officially on the same DLINE.'"  Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III added, “The LA Rams defence will be a NIGHTMARE for QBs with Aaron Donald coming out of retirement.” 

Following this recent update, fans and players alike have had the same question: Why did Aaron Donald suddenly come out of retirement? In an interview conducted by ESPN, Donald outlined, "Seeing what was being done with this team, the pieces that were getting brought here, I was like, 'OK, it's a complete team.' And then you see other moves they [made]." In this interview, Donald is referring to the Rams’ recent trades: Myles Garret from the Cleveland Browns for Jared Verse and multiple draft picks; Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for more draft picks.

With these unconventional offseason moves, many have projected the Rams to win the NFC West. Sports Illustrated highlights how Aaron Donald’s addition has led to some sports betting sites even raising their chances of winning the Superbowl: "With the announcement, Kalshi’s NFL market adjusted its Super Bowl prices accordingly, with the Rams extending their lead at the top with 17%.” We will see what happens next as the Rams play their divisional rival, the 49ers, to open the season. Is Aaron Donald really the Rams’ missing piece to success? Or is he just another player chasing success from his glory days? Only time will tell.

Image Courtesy of All-Pro Reels on Flickr.