Sometimes a sports take ages poorly. This one aged beautifully. Not long ago, I wrote about why I believed Aaron Donald would come out of retirement and return to the Los Angeles Rams. Donald had been away from football for two seasons, had already put together one of the greatest careers a defensive player has ever had, and had absolutely nothing left to prove.
But something about the situation made a return feel possible. Now we know it was. Aaron Donald is officially back. The future Hall of Famer is coming out of retirement and returning to the Rams for the 2026 season on a one-year deal.
So yes, I’m taking my victory lap.
The Signs Were There
When I originally wrote about Donald returning, it wasn’t because I had some secret source inside the Rams organization. It was simply looking at what was happening and connecting the dots. Donald was still training at an absurd level, remained connected to the Rams organization, and Los Angeles had built a roster capable of seriously competing for another championship.
Then the Rams added Myles Garrett, and suddenly the thought of Donald returning didn’t feel quite as crazy. Donald eventually worked out at the Rams facility multiple times in August, providing an even stronger indication that something could be happening. Now the speculation is over. He’s putting the pads back on.
One More Run
Donald retired after the 2023 season with a résumé that already made him one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history. Three Defensive Player of the Year awards. Eight First-Team All-Pro selections. Ten Pro Bowls. 111 career sacks. A Super Bowl championship. And remember, we’re talking about a defensive tackle.
Donald doesn’t need another season to prove anything about his legacy. He’s already going to Canton. This return is about something else: one more run at a Lombardi Trophy. And he couldn’t have picked a much better situation.
Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett
This is where Donald’s return goes from a great NFL story to something that could completely change the upcoming season. The Rams now have Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett on the same defensive front. Think about what an offensive line is supposed to do with that.
Donald has won Defensive Player of the Year three times. Garrett has won it twice. We’re talking about two of the most dominant defensive players of their generation lining up on the same defense. Double Donald and Garrett gets his matchup. Slide protection toward Garrett and you risk leaving Aaron Donald opportunities inside.
Good luck.
And that’s exactly why my next question deserves its own article: Did the Los Angeles Rams just create the greatest defensive line ever? We’ll get to that one next.
The Victory Lap
Sports opinions are supposed to be fun. Sometimes you’re completely wrong. Sometimes a prediction looks ridiculous six months later. And sometimes you write about Aaron Donald coming out of retirement… and Aaron Donald comes out of retirement.
I’ll happily take the win on this one. Welcome back, 99. And somewhere in the Ethical Sports Takes archives, there’s already a receipt.
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