The Los Angeles Rams will not have Myles Garrett available to them at least through Week 5. It is expected to be longer, though.
“The Los Angeles Rams are waiting on Aaron Donald, their star defensive lineman. When is he going to return?” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on “NFL Live” on September 15. “Still needs to get in football shape. It is still up to him, but my understanding is the hope–hope–is that he is out there Monday night against the Giants, in what should be a massive stage in Los Angeles.”
Despite significant anticipation, Donald did not play for the Rams in Week 1. It was a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. He did not even make the trip to Australia after admitting to be rusty following his first 11-on-11 drills since he retired in 2024.
The Rams need him now more than before Week 1, with Myles Garrett heading to IR.
Rams HC Sean McVay Gets Honest About Aaron Donald
Rams head coach Sean McVay has made it clear that they will not rush Donald back onto the field. He did so once again during his weekly show.
He also lauded Donald’s leadership.
“This guy is all about the right kind of stuff. He set the foundation for what our culture and a lot of the great things that have gone on the last handful of years are contingent upon. And so, it’s going to be his timeline. I know this: this guy works his tail off to put himself in a position to be great. A lot of people have seen that on display throughout the 10 years that he did play, and that’s what we’ve seen in a short amount of time with him coming back,” McVay said on “The Coach McVay Show” on September 14.
“We’ll see what this week looks like. I think it is good to be able to have a couple extra days for him to continue to be able to fine-tune his rhythm, his routine, his approach, get reps that maybe he wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. And so, we’ll see what that looks like as the week progresses.”
Asked if Donald’s performance on the practice field looks like the old days, McVay told J.B. Long, “It does.”
“I think the type of competitor he knows himself better than anybody, J.B. The standards, the expectations that he has in terms of what he wants it to look like and how he wants to impact his teammates, and he’s the epitome of a guy that just shows it. This is what it looks like. I don’t need to say a whole lot. When I speak, everybody listens. But watch, and I’ll model the way, and I think that’s the greatest form of leadership,” McVay said.
“I think leadership is about influence. This guy has always been an amazing influence, because of the way that he carries himself, because of the consistency at which he shows up. Never asked anybody to do anything that he wouldn’t be doing himself. And so, I can’t say enough good things about this guy, and I’m very, very grateful that he’s a part of this thing. And when you go through adversity, you look, and you say, ‘Man, I’m really glad that I’m in the foxhole with certain people.’ I feel that way about these coaches, these players. And Aaron Donald is one of those guys that–‘no s***’ statement–of course, we feel that way about him.”
Insider Updates LA Rams’ ‘Hope’ for Aaron Donald for Week 2