Aaron Donald Works Out for the Rams Again as Comeback Momentum Builds

Aaron Donald formally worked out for the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday, according to the NFL’s official transaction wire, marking one of the most concrete signs yet that the three-time Defensive Player of the Year is nearing the end of his retirement. The 35-year-old wore a helmet and used team equipment at the Rams’ training facility, a step significant enough that the league required Los Angeles to report it. Nothing is finalized, but the comeback speculation that has simmered for months just got a lot more real.

Donald spent a decorated decade with the Rams, capturing a Super Bowl title, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and eight first-team All-Pro selections before abruptly walking away from football in March 2024. He said at the time he felt “complete” and had burned out on the grind of a career defined by pushing his body to its limit. Since then, he has continued posting workout videos on social media, keeping the door to a return cracked open even as he insisted retirement felt final.

The Myles Garrett Effect

That door swung open further this offseason when the Rams pulled off the biggest trade of the year, acquiring pass rusher Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. Donald has acknowledged the move played a direct role in reigniting his interest in playing again. “The Myles Garrett trade for sure got me thinking,” Donald said in June, per ESPN’s Pat McAfee. Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year himself, has been open about wanting Donald back in the fold. “If he’s here, I’m going to be excited to be his teammate, his partner in crime,” Garrett said. “I think we can do great things.”

Rams head coach Sean McVay has described Donald’s process as methodical rather than impulsive. McVay called it a “very strict, regimented process” similar to the training regimen Donald followed during his playing days, and said as recently as late July that the situation was “trending upwards.” Wednesday’s session was reportedly Donald’s second workout at the team’s Woodland Hills facility, following an initial visit earlier in the summer that did not require league notification because it lacked team equipment.

What Happens Next

No signing is imminent, and sources have cautioned that Donald has yet to file any paperwork to officially return to the league. If he does decide to play, the Rams would likely need to restructure a contract to stay compliant with the salary cap, since his prior six-year extension expired after the 2024 season. Still, reports indicate Donald could realistically be ready in time for Week 1 if he ultimately commits, giving Los Angeles a defensive front that would pair a healthy Donald with Garrett and further bolster a unit already retooled for a championship push.

For bettors watching the Rams’ outlook shift in real time, the futures markets tell part of the story — anyone tracking the Super Bowl odds board this summer has seen how quickly a single roster domino can move a contender’s price. A healthy Donald lining up next to Garrett would give Los Angeles arguably the most talented defensive line in the league, and it would instantly reshape how oddsmakers and bettors alike view the Rams’ ceiling heading into the season. Anyone brushing up before Week 1 can find plenty of situational breakdowns in the site’s NFL betting guide as more clarity emerges on Donald’s status.

Until Donald makes it official, the Rams will continue business as usual — they’re set to reconvene in Woodland Hills on Saturday for their first practice since the conclusion of training camp. But for a franchise already being talked about as a legitimate contender, the prospect of adding a healthy, motivated Aaron Donald back into the fold would be one of the more stunning storylines of the 2026 NFL season.