The possibility that Aaron Donald will come out of retirement to help Myles Garrett lead the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl next season first gained steam when Pat McAfee shared a text exchange between himself and the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and ESPN’s host says he “knows” the defensive tackle won’t return just to be a part-timer.
As the rumors start to feel less like rumors and more like indications of an inevitable return, the scenario which will lead Donald back to the Rams
has began to take structure. How? When? What role will Donald have?
Amid this week’s rumors that Donald may not come back until the end of training camp, if not after the season has already started, McAfee shot those down by claiming he’s not speculating and that Donald wants to be a full-time player again, not a situational pass rusher.
“We assume—actually forget that. I know that if Aaron Donald comes back, he’s playing 50 snaps a game. This is not a farewell tour, rotation tour. This is Aaron Donald football.”
Say what you want about McAfee, the guy knows how to make a quote.
McAfee sees Donald, even at 35, as the guy who is going to get “Check 99” calls from the offense, meaning that teams can’t leave him one-on-one. So what does that do for Myles Garrett, another defensive lineman who will require many double and triple-teams next season?
If nothing else, it should allow Byron Young, Kobie Turner, and Braden Fiske to eat a lot more quarterbacks.
At this point, the only person holding up the announcement is Donald. As he continues to give indications that he will eventually return to the Rams this year, perhaps only a physical setback will cause him to shut it down. Anything short of that, Donald’s workouts and messages, both to McAfee and fans, should bring him back to the NFL.
If he’s coming back to the NFL, many don’t expect him to be anything less than Aaron Donald.
Otherwise, why’s he coming back?
