Aaron Donald is expecting to play for the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football, and if things go bad, there will be plenty to talk about. But if Donald can find a way to help the Rams win or simply dominate on his own accord, then he’ll once again solidify himself as one of the best to ever play the game.
A lot is at stake Monday night as the Rams do not want to fall to the dreaded 0-2 mark. For Donald, he’s coming back (in theory) to the Rams after a couple/few years off, and the expectation
going into 2026 is if Donald returned, he’d likely be playing with Myles Garrett. That will not be happening for at least the next for games, maybe longer.
So, can Donald still handle his business without another Defensive Player of the Year at his side? If Donald plays, we’re going to find out. And it won’t just be Rams fans watching Donald’s return, everyone who has any interest in football will want to see what AD does, and how he holds up his legacy, or doesn’t.
If Donald doesn’t play, then we can basically copy and paste today’s Random Ramsdom for another time.
Aaron Donald has blunt response to Myles Garrett’s IR news (ramswire)
“I think we’ve got a great defense, a great team, a lot of great pieces,” Donald said. “Obviously, I would love for him to be out there, but he won’t be gone forever. … Hold it down while he’s gone.”
The blockbuster trade that sent Garrett to Los Angeles this offseason was the move that likely helped prompt Donald to come out of retirement in the first place. After two years away from the game, the future Hall of Famer decided the chance to pair with Garrett was too good to pass up. Together, the two were supposed to form one of the scariest defensive fronts in recent memory, and the Rams entered the season as a popular pick to make a run at back-to-back titles.“
Aaron Donald plans to play on Monday night (nbcsports)
“Donald, the Rams defensive tackle who hasn’t played since announcing his retirement after the 2023 season, said today that he expects to play against the Giants on Monday Night Football.
“That’s the plan,” Donald said when asked if he is playing.
Donald, who did not make the trip to Australia for the Rams’ Week 1 loss to the 49ers, said he has been feeling like his old self while practicing this week.
“Have another practice tomorrow, and then we’ll see, but feeling good,” Donald said.“
Rams’ Donald plans to play vs. Giants; Nacua (hip) misses practice (espn)
“On Friday, wide receiver Puka Nacua did not practice with a hip injury. Nacua, who had five catches for 74 yards in Week 1, was not on the injury report on Thursday.
On Thursday, Rams coach Sean McVay said Donald would go through the week of practice but that he was hopeful the defensive tackle would be able to play on “Monday Night Football.” Donald said Friday that he was able to take part in team drills on back-to-back days and that he feels like himself.“
Rams News: Cam Skattebo ‘Excited’ To Face Aaron Donald In First Game Back (ramsnewswire)
“Donald, of course, is one of the greatest defensive players to ever step foot on a football field so all eyes will be on him and how he looks in his comeback. But the Giants aren’t afraid and their star running back Cam Skattebo is actually excited to face off against the all-time great.
“Yeah, I mean, he’s had a couple years off and I’m sure he’s ready to go and excited to play. But he’s still got to play football,” Skattebo said on Thursday. “He hasn’t practiced a ton. He hasn’t played in a game yet or played a ton. So, I mean, if it is his first game, then he’s got to be ready for it just like we do. So, I’m excited to play against him. He’s one of the best to ever do it. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a good challenge for the guys up front. It’s going to be a good challenge. If I have to meet him in the hole on third and one, then so be it. I’ve got to get one yard. But he’s a good player. He’s one of the best to ever do it. So, all respect to him.”
Giants Mailbag: Tyrone Tracy’s Fumbles, Aaron Donald’s Return and Adebo’s Future (si.com)
“Welcome to the weekly New York Giants On SI mailbag! From offseason moves to game-day strategies, we’ll do our best to answer your questions. (Some questions have been edited for brevity and clarity.)“
Aaron Donald, Chris Shula & Nate Scheelhaase talk players to watch vs. the Giants, Week 2 practice reps & more (therams.com)
“Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald, defensive coordinator Chris Shula, and offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase address the media on Friday. Watch them discuss Monday’s matchup and players to watch vs. the New York Giants, Week 2 practice reps, and more.”
Aaron Donald sends ‘That’s the plan’ message to New York Giants as Los Angeles Rams prepare for his long-awaited return (hitc.com)
“Although Donald has not played an NFL game for two seasons, his return comes with plenty of attention given his record during his career with the Rams.
New York opened the season with a win over the Dallas Cowboys, but now face a much tougher test against a Rams team looking to respond after its defeat in Melbourne.
Los Angeles will, however, be without Myles Garrett after the star pass rusher was placed on injured reserve. Garrett, who joined the Rams during the offseason, is expected to miss at least four games after undergoing knee surgery.“
LA Rams Send ‘Hair on Fire’ Notice About Giants Ahead of Week 2 Matchup (heavy.com)
““They have great players across the board. They do a great job schematically,” McVay told Nick Hamilton on Sept. 17.
“But then you look at it, whether you’re talking about [Kayvon] Thibodeaux, obviously, [Brian] Burns and Abdul Carter, you feel their presence. Then [Arvell] Reese was an excellent player in college and you see why he was picked where he was, doing a good job as an inside backer.”
McVay: Myles Garrett (knee) ‘feeling good’ post-surgery, but Rams ‘not going to rush him back’ from Injured Reserve (therams.com)
“Head coach Sean McVay on Monday did not want to put a timetable on Garrett’s return until he had all the information post-surgery. While the surgery has been completed, McVay on Thursday was still reluctant to do so, other than saying the team would not rush Garrett back from IR after missing at least the next four games.
“He’s feeling good,” McVay said. “… He had crutches yesterday, and then he was walking without crutches today, so he’s like Wolverine, healing fast. I’m reluctant to put a timeline on it. We’ve kind of talked about it, but 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, (that) he’s able to get out on the practice field and do all the things that are necessary for him to perform at a level that he’s been accustomed to. And so that’ll be something that I’ll kind of keep you guys posted as we have updates as we go.”
Behind enemy lines: Previewing Rams-Giants with 5 key questions (ramswire.com)
“Giants Wire: I think it’s important to remember that the Dallas defense was terrible in 2025 and really doesn’t look much better after one week this season. That’s not to be a Debbie Downer or dismiss the Giants’ obvious offensive improvements, but reality always lies somewhere in the middle. They fumbled four times, and had they lost more than one, we’d all have a very different vision of that game in our heads. With all of that having been said, there is a reason for optimism in East Rutherford — the offensive scheme was night and day compared to the Daboll era. From Greg Roman to Matt Nagy to John Harbaugh, you can see the many years of experience and success. Still, it’s early in the season, and the identity of this offense is only just beginning to take shape. How that translates on Monday night? We’ll see, but I wouldn’t expect the same level of success or efficiency against a defense that, at least on paper, is better than Dallas’.“
Giants dealing with multiple injuries at cornerback ahead of Week 2 vs. Rams (clutchpoints)
“Adebo’s placement on injured reserve guarantees the Giants will be without one of their veteran cornerbacks against Los Angeles. Banks’ status also bears watching after the 25-year-old missed Friday’s practice because of a calf injury.
Newsome, meanwhile, was able to participate on a limited basis Friday despite dealing with a rib injury, leaving New York with uncertainty at multiple spots in its secondary.“
Comment of the Day:
“This receiver Malichi Toney of the Miami Hurricanes if he came out this year he most probably would be a top ten if not top 5 pick for the pros. But alas, I checked, he will be eligible for the 28 draft. Imagine him and Nacua?” -LaRams&NyMets
