The biggest question being raised is whether Aaron Donald, one of the greatest defensive tackles in football history, will come out of retirement and wreak havoc on the field again? The question is also whether all this is just hot air.
Ever since a major trade happened for Myles Garrett this June, talk about Donald's return has intensified. Donald himself told Pat McAfee in a message that this trade definitely made him think about coming back.
Nov 26, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Some videos of Donald working out have gone viral on the internet. In these videos, 35-year-old Donald can be seen moving with really solid and determined moves. He even did a workout for the Rams team on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Rams head coach Sean McVay talked about this workout in an interview with NFL Daily. He said it was the best tryout he has ever seen. McVay also believes that Donald is still capable of earning his place on the team.
On Saturday, 15 Aug., Donald completed his second official workout. This time, he didn’t just do a normal workout, but practiced for the Rams wearing a helmet and pads. Although the transaction reports only call it a 'tryout,' in reality, Donald is doing all this for his own confidence.
Sports analyst Mike Florio says it’s all kind of like a drama that has made the preseason and training camp even more fun. He thinks maybe Donald is trying to find a 'graceful exit' through all of this.
"He's not trying out for the benefit of the Rams,” Florio said. “He's trying out for his own benefit to come to the conclusion that he can come back and play."
Football aficionados have never seen a defensive tackle, especially of this magnitude, two years off and then come back.
"It's starting to feel like he's looking for a graceful exit from this," Florio said. "It's still part of the drama that has made the preseason and training camp more interesting."
When Donald will make a decision, that date keeps getting pushed forward. Initially, it was supposed to happen at the beginning of this week, but now it’s moved to the end of the week. Rams’ team isn’t putting any strict deadline on him. Coach McVay has expressed hope that everything will be clear soon, but he respects the way Donald makes decisions.
Donald still has one year left on his three-year 'post-Super Bowl deal,' which is worth $30 million (quite a big amount). Until there’s any official news, this story will keep circulating. During the season, the final deadline to make a decision is the Tuesday after Week 13.
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