By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
The Los Angeles Rams have made some of the biggest moves of the NFL offseason, and now they are bringing back one of the most dominant defensive players in franchise history.
Three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald is coming out of retirement to rejoin the Rams, giving Los Angeles an imposing defensive front as the team pushes for another Super Bowl.
Donald, who retired in March 2024 at age 32, has agreed to a one-year, $20 million contract that can reach $30 million with playoff incentives, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Rams announced Donald’s return shortly afterward, with head coach Sean McVay and Donald speaking to the media about the decision.
Donald Had Been Thinking About a Return
Donald’s return was not an overnight decision.
“To be honest with you, it was on and off for a little while, but I think I knew this decision about two weeks [ago],” Donald said. “I know the world was saying all types of things and nobody knew what was going on, but I kind of knew for two weeks. I talked to Sean every single week, damn near every day. We stayed in contact. I’d give him all my updates of how I was feeling, how things was going.”
McVay said Donald is a close friend and that the former Rams star provides a valuable perspective on the organization and its players.
That relationship became especially important when the Rams were considering a trade for reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
McVay wanted to know what Donald thought about the possibility of adding Garrett.
Donald liked the idea. But seeing the direction of the team also sparked something else in him.
“I wish I was still out there playing right about now,” Donald realized.
A Loaded Rams Defense
Los Angeles continued adding talent throughout the offseason, including cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, wide receiver Davante Adams and defensive tackle Poona Ford.
Those additions helped create a roster that convinced Donald the Rams had assembled a legitimate championship contender.
“Seeing what was being done with this team, the pieces that were getting brought here,” Donald said. “I was like, ‘OK, it’s a complete team.’ And then you see other moves they [made].”
The Rams’ biggest defensive acquisition came June 1, when Los Angeles traded for Garrett, sending outside linebacker Jared Verse to the Cleveland Browns as part of a package that included a first-round pick in 2027 and a second-round pick in 2028.
Now Garrett and Donald will anchor a defensive front that also includes Braden Fiske, Byron Young, Ford and Kobie Turner.
Fiske has recorded 11.5 sacks in his first two seasons, while Young enters the season as a 2025 Pro Bowler with 27.5 sacks over three seasons. Turner has added 24 sacks during his three-year career.
With Donald returning alongside Garrett, McVay and the Rams have dramatically raised expectations for the upcoming season.
For Donald, the decision is about more than simply returning to football. After stepping away from the game, he saw a Rams team being built to compete at the highest level — and decided he wanted to be part of it one more time.