The Los Angeles Rams are getting some significant assistance in their efforts to lure Aaron Donald out of retirement, and it is coming from none other than former teammate and fellow 2021 Super Bowl champion Andrew Whitworth.
Whitworth’s efforts come amid another former player insisting that this is not a ploy from either side and a top NFL insider doubling down on his stance about the Rams icon.
Training camp is approaching fast for the Rams, and it could indeed include Donald.
Andrew Whitworth Pushing for Aaron Donald to Rejoin Rams
GettyAndrew Whitworth believes his former teammate Aaron Donald should come out of retirement.
Whitworth and Donald were anchors for that Rams Super Bowl team, with the former calling it a career following the contest. Donald stuck around for two more seasons and could now return after a two-year retirement.
Whitworth said he has joined the push for Donald to return.
“I’ve tried. I’ve texted him multiple times throughout the summer. I’m on that list of guys encouraging him. I’ve said this before, and it’s not pressure to him,” Whitworth said on the “Bleav in Rams” podcast on July 15
“I’ll say it this way: If I was his age, there’s no question I’d be coming back. I’m 10 years his senior, so–maybe 11. But yeah, I think it’s interesting.”
Whitworth touted the potential combination of Donald and Myles Garrett.
The Rams’ trade for Garrett is what got Donald to reconsider his stance on retirement, and Whitworth also lauded the Rams’ other big trade, landing Trent McDuffie, and their signing Jaylen Watson in free agency.
Terron Armstead Offers Insight as Adam Schefter Doubles Down
GettyTerron Armstead also weighed in on Aaron Donald’s potential return to the Los Angeles Rams.
Donald’s potential return to the Rams was a big talking point among former left tackles on the day, with Terron Armstead joining the discussion with what he called “some insightful information that Aaron Donald’s return is real,” which piqued interest.
Armstead’s reveal was more of a take on Donald’s recent workout at the Rams’ facilities.
“Aaron Donald has been working out. He always working out, but now he’s been doing football work, in the trenches, hand in the dirt, get-offs. Striking pads to see,” Armstead said on “The Set” podcast on July 15. “And he hasn’t made the decision yet. But it is a possibility now. It is a real thing. This is not just speculation no more. This is him going through the final steps of his process with himself and his family to see if he’s going to go back and do this with the Rams.”
Those comments follow ESPN’s Adam Schefter doubling down on his belief that Donald’s work on the Rams’ practice field was a strong indication that he is serious about a return.
That is, if he can reignite that internal fire.
“We don’t know if when he got back there, all of a sudden, he’s like ‘Yeah, I can’t do this again.’ or ‘two years…,’ or he’s like, “Man, that felt unbelievable!” Schefter told ABC 7’s Curt Sandoval on July 14, before commenting on the financial aspect.
“I remember speaking to the Rams, like, ‘This is very difficult financially.’ And I spoke to other teams, and they’re like, ‘You can do anything you want. You just get things done.’”
Armstead believes the timing of Donald’s retirement may ultimately lend itself to his return.
Aaron Donald’s Wife Sends Message Amid Rumors
GettyFormer Los Angeles Rams star Jared Verse spoke candidly about Aaron Donald and his trade from the franchise.
Armstead noted that Donald had already accomplished everything as a player and that his efforts this offseason show he still has that fire inside of him. He also noted how much Donald’s mind was a factor in his ability on the field.
Despite that, Donald’s future remains uncertain, and his wife, Erica Donald, has enjoyed seeing all of the speculation about her husband.
“I’m learning so much [rolling on the floor laughing emojis,” Erica Donald said on X on July 14.
That post came before Schefter’s follow-up report, in which he also said that he expects that Donald will come out of retirement by the time the Rams begin training camp. That is, if he decides to return at all.
Former Teammate Pushing Aaron Donald Back to Rams Amid Updates