Kyle Shanahan prepared for the worst-case version of the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive front.
Then Aaron Donald was ruled out.
The San Francisco 49ers coach did little to hide his relief.
“I’ve never been more excited to be wrong about something,” Shanahan said Wednesday, via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. “We’re going to have to see him eventually. … I was preparing for the worst. And glad we don’t have to see him this week.”
The reaction says a lot about Donald’s standing around the NFC West, even after two seasons away from football.
Los Angeles announced Aug. 30 that the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year was ending his retirement, adding a decorated pass rusher to a front already headlined by Myles Garrett.
Donald will have to wait for his comeback debut. Rams coach Sean McVay announced Tuesday that the 35-year-old would neither play nor travel to Australia for the Week 1 matchup.
Shanahan Was Certain Aaron Donald Would Play
Shanahan had been preparing as though Donald’s return would begin against San Francisco.
Asked Sunday whether he expected Donald to play, Shanahan answered, “Oh yeah, definitely,” via the 49ers’ official transcript. He also recalled the reaction inside the organization when Donald originally retired in March 2024.
Shanahan said people were “yelling down the hallway cheering,” calling it perhaps the most the 49ers had celebrated during an offseason. Donald’s comeback produced the opposite response.
The history explains why.
Donald totaled 111 sacks, 176 tackles for loss and 256 quarterback hits across 10 seasons before stepping away after the 2023 campaign, per his Rams’ official biography. He won three AP Defensive Player of the Year awards, earned eight first-team All-Pro selections and helped Los Angeles win Super Bowl LVI.
His return came on a one-year, $20 million deal that can reach $30 million through playoff incentives.
That made the possibility of facing Donald and Garrett together an instantaneous concern for San Francisco. Instead, the 49ers will get at least one game without the former.
“We’re going to have to see him eventually, we play them twice, but I was hoping he wouldn’t,” Shanahan said Wednesday, via NBC Sports. “I was preparing for the worst, and glad we don’t have to see him this week.”
Rams Taking Patient Approach With Donald’s Return
The Rams have maintained that Donald’s ramp-up would be handled carefully after two full seasons away.
McVay said Tuesday that holding him out was the best decision for Donald and the team, adding that he expects the veteran to be “ready to go sooner rather than later.”
Donald had practiced on a limited basis after rejoining the roster. A day before his Week 1 status was finalized, he repeatedly told reporters that he was “feeling really good” while declining to commit to playing.
Los Angeles can afford some patience because of the depth around him. McVay specifically pointed to Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford and others when explaining the decision, while Garrett is expected to be available against San Francisco after dealing with a knee issue.
Donald also made clear when he returned that he wouldn’t have come back simply to occupy a roster spot.
“Do I feel like I can play at a high level? Yes,” Donald said Aug. 30. “Do I feel like I can still be myself? 100%. If I didn’t feel like that, I wouldn’t be here.”
Week 1 won’t provide the first answer. Shanahan’s response, though, reminded everyone about the problem Donald represents before he has taken a regular-season snap in his comeback.
Rams’ Aaron Donald Ruled Out, Draws Strong Kyle Shanahan Admission