Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is not willing to push Aaron Donald to decide whether he is coming out of retirement. However, he would certainly like an answer as soon as possible from the still-former defensive lineman.
Moreover, McVay wants to clarify the situation.
“I think all of those things are up in the air. And I wish I had a little bit better ability to give you some clarity,” McVay told reporters on August 28.
“It’s really one of those deals that what we’re doing, we’re focusing on this football team. Aaron knows that, hey, if he wants to be able to do that, that’s something that we absolutely want to entertain and be able to figure out, and that’s really kind of all there is to it right now.”
‘Reality’ Setting In for Rams on Aaron Donald
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio weighed in, noting how the situation has devolved from seeming like an inevitability.
It seemed complete with a plan to reimplement Donald back into the defensive line rotation.
“Three weeks ago, it felt like Aaron Donald would inevitably come out of retirement and play for the Rams in 2026. The Rams had a plan: ramp him up, get him ready to go 30 to 40 snaps, Week 1, in Australia against the 49ers. We’re now less than two weeks away from that game in Australia,” Florio said in a clip from “Pro Football Talk Live” shared on X on August 28.
“It’s looking more and more clear: Aaron Donald’s not going to be playing in Week 1. The question is, will he be back at some point? Is he going to play this year? Is he ever going to make a decision that he’s going to share with us?”
Florio said the “reality” is Donald not playing Week 1, and the “real question” is if he ever will.
“For a retired player, you got to come back by the Tuesday after Week 13. That’s the moment the clock is ticking toward. We’ll see if we get an answer before then.”
This is an increasingly prevalent sentiment among league insiders. ESPN’s Adam Schefter also noted that the Rams and Donald are pushing it if they want to be ready by the regular-season opener.
Former Teammate Expects Aaron Donald Will Return
Despite the growing angst around Donald, former Rams teammate Andrew Whitworth believes his fellow 2021 Super Bowl champion is going to return.
Whitworth neared defiance with his insistence.
“Oh, I think he’s playing,” Whitworth said during the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots preseason finale, per The Rams Wire’s Cameron DaSilva on August 27. “I think you gotta figure out all the little parts that go into it.
“Listen, if you put a helmet on and hit a sled, you’re playing football. I don’t care what you say, you’re going to figure it out.”
Those in an orbit around or near Donald seem to believe a comeback is coming.
Whitworth previously admitted to pushing Donald to return, noting that he would if he were the same age (35) as the three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year. Notably, Whitworth retired following that 2021 season, his age-40 season.
Sean McVay Delivers Blunt Truth About Aaron Donald Amid ‘Reality’ Check