The Los Angeles Rams could conceivably take Aaron Donald’s Week 1 status right up to game time. That’s because on Friday, Sean McVay told reporters that he expects every player to make the trip to Australia, including Donald.
The Rams are leaving for Melbourne on Wednesday and will arrive the day before kickoff, so as long as Donald is on that flight, he has a chance to play against the San Francisco 49ers next Thursday night.
McVay did say that he’s still not sure whether Donald will play or not, reiterating that they’re taking it “one day at a time.” Donald just rejoined the Rams on Sunday after two years in retirement and is currently on the 53-man roster.
The Rams have a roster exemption for Donald that expires next Friday, the day after their
opener, so if he doesn’t play, he won’t take up a spot on the roster.
Sean McVay said he still doesn't know if Aaron Donald is going to play in Australia against the 49ers. "This week will be a big week for him...we'll take it one day at a time."
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) September 4, 2026
Donald hasn't played a game or gone through a full practice since the 2023 season, so he's still ramping up his workload ahead of Week 1. If the Rams don't feel he's ready, they could hold him out against the 49ers and allow him to make his debut afterwards.
The Rams structured Donald's $10 million per-game roster bonuses to cover 15 games at $666,667 per game, allowing him to miss two games without impacting any potential bonuses.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Aaron Donald expected to travel with Rams to Australia for Week 1
