The Los Angeles Rams announced that 10-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Aaron Donald is coming out of retirement and returning to the team on a one-year, $20-million deal worth up to $30M with incentives.
Donald's Instagram announcement included his sack of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the final moments of Super Bowl 56.
The Bengals are not scheduled to meet the Rams during the 2026 regular season.
When the Bengals and Rams met in a Super Bowl rematch during the 2022 preseason, a joint practice between the teams turned ugly, with Donald swinging Bengals' helmets at Cincinnati players as he was pushed to the ground.
A Rams spokesperson said the incident would be addressed internally, with discipline handled in-house.
An NFL.com columnist was among
those calling for Donald to be suspended for his actions during the brawl. ESPN's Adam Schefter initially called it "assault."
Donald's actions were compared by many on social media to those of Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett, who was suspended indefinitely and missed six games for removing Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph's helmet and hitting Rudolph in the head with it during a game in Nov. 2019.
Donald and Garrett are now teammates on the Rams' defensive line.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Aaron Donald comes out of retirement; Bengals don't face Rams in 2026
