The Los Angeles Rams won’t know if Aaron Donald is returning until Aaron Donald makes a final decision, but head coach Sean McVay is clearly ready to welcome the defensive tackle back with open arms if he wants to play in 2026. After weeks of speculation that Donald could return to the Rams following the trade for Myles Garrett, McVay sounded like Vin Diesel talking about family in the Fast and the Furious movies when he was asked about AD’s potential un-retirement:
“I have crossed paths with Aaron
Donald,” McVay said in an interview with Jason LaCanfora of The Daily Flock podcast. “What’s special is, we have a really special relationship. It’s way bigger than football. I’ve heard him say it before and it means the world to me — and I feel the same — it’s family with us. He’s done so much for me. I love the man he is. I love the husband, the father, the son — he represents a lot of the things that are right.
“And what he’s going to do is, he is thinking about this. He’s going to go through his process. And the one thing about Aaron Donald is, what he does, he does it full speed ahead.”
Donald has not played since 2023 and his $30 million pending paycheck could be another obstacle to clear before he suits up for the Rams again.
Adam Schefter also reported on Wednesday that no decision by Donald is expected any time soon. The wait could drag on for weeks, maybe months, but if Donald feels like his body is ready for the game again, we know that McVay is ready to welcome him back into the family. One quarter mile at a time.
