The Los Angeles Rams could need Aaron Donald now more than ever.
“Aaron Donald may be privately thinking, ‘I’m too old for this s***,’” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on October 23. “Regardless, the rash of injuries along the Rams’ defensive line could result in the 35-year-old defensive tackle, who returned last month from a two-year retirement, taking more reps than he has.
“In four games this season, Donald has played 33 snaps in Week 2 (56.9 percent), 35 snaps in Week 3 (52.2 percent), 43 snaps in Week 5 (67.2 percent), and 42 snaps in Week 6 (58.3 percent).”
The Rams remain without Myles Garrett, lost Davante Adams, Kobie Turner, and Poona Ford to at least short-term IR stints, and could be without Puka Nacua again in Week 7.
Florio is not alone in his speculation.
The Rams are the most DISAPPOINTING team in the NFL… 2-4 with a stacked roster and they lost to Arizona 👀
Time to hit the panic button in LA? 👇
#NFL #Rams #RamsHouse #AaronDonald #Cardinals“Donald, whose interest in returning was sparked by the trade for Garrett, has yet to play in a game with the 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year,” Florio wrote. “On Sunday against the 3-3 Raiders, the Rams may need Donald to turn back the clock to his pre-retirement form — and workload — in order to avoid falling to 2-5 through seven games.”
Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula did not deny the possibility that Donald could see more snaps, though he assured that they would not surpass the cap they have for the 10-time Pro Bowler by an exorbitant amount barring something drastic.
“That’s kind of hard to say. I think it–it definitely depends on, kind of, the flow of the game and a lot of things like that,” Shula told reporters on October 23.
“We have a general kind of snap count that he’s always going to have going into the game. I don’t think we would go crazily past that. But it’s going to be hard if it’s a tight game and he’s at that number. Just kind of like one of those pitchers in the ninth inning, you’re probably going to leave him in for a few extra snaps.”
Aaron Donald ‘Defiant’ Amid Rams Woes
Despite the dire straits the Rams find themselves in, Donald delivered comments that The California Post’s Michael J. Duarte framed as “defiant.”
“It’s a long season, right? Obviously, we would love to start better. But still got a lot of football left. You can’t curl up and think it’s over. It’s not over. Got a lot of ball to play. You just got to find a way to play better and find a way to win game, Donald told reporters on October 23. “It’s nothing to panic about.”
Donald, 35, endured five losing seasons in 12 campaigns with the Rams entering 2026.
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He stepped away following a 10-7 mark in 2023.
At their current rate, the Rams are on track to win five games this season. That would tie the second-lowest mark of Donald’s career prior to this year. The last time the Rams won that few games was in 2022. Then, Matthew Stafford only played in nine games due to a neck injury.
As for the possibility of seeing more snaps, Donald is willing to do whatever is necessary.
Notably, Donald’s understanding of the situation varies from that of Shula. The Super Bowl champion defensive lineman does not believe he has or needs a cap on his reps.
“I’m going just be out there playing. However that rotation is going to be, it’s going to be. We never got a set snap [count]. We just go as the game go. And however that is–if it’s 30 plays, 40 plays, 50 plays, 60 plays–that’s what it’s going to be.”
Rams’ Aaron Donald Does Not Mince Words Amid Clear Notice