Andrew Buller-Russ
At this point, everyone wants to see Aaron Donald come out of retirement. Well, everyone except opponents of the Los Angeles Rams of course. After all, the Rams are already viewed as top Super Bowl contenders, and Donald is a future first-ballot Hall of Fame defender.
Yet, he’s also 35 years old and hasn’t played a snap of NFL football since the end of the 2023 season. There’s no guarantee he can even compete at a high level anymore. Though, doubting the eight-time All-Pro probably isn’t a wise idea.
Recently, Donald was seen going through a spirited workout at the Rams’ facility. His presence only fueled more rumors of Donald ending his retirement bid and beginning a comeback tour. But aside from getting another workout in, why was he there?
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Donald Wanted to See How Pads Felt as Comeback Rumors Linger
It’s true. Donald was at the Rams’ facility, and he was performing various workout drills for an intense session that reportedly lasted roughly an hour. Yet, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently noted that Donald has always had access to the team’s building, even after his retirement following the 2023 season. That’s nothing new.
Yet, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Donald was there so he could see how it felt to move around with pads on again. It’s the latest sign that he’s seriously contemplating playing an 11th NFL season in L.A.
“He told the team that he wanted to go there, work out, see how he felt, see how he reacted,” Schefter said. “See everything that went along with being back in pads on the football field and seeing how it made him feel.”
Adam Schefter on Aaron Donald
Yet, the most interesting thing came when Schefter said, “My guess is in the end he will be coming back to play for the Rams.” Schefter adds that Donald is “obviously thinking about it very hard.”
For most, the opportunity to come waltzing back to their own team and have what feels like a great opportunity to win another Super Bowl ring doesn’t come around often. Yet, it’s possible that Donald doesn’t want to go through a full training camp and could make his return later on, after the Rams have gotten off to a hot start.
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