Not too long ago, speculation was rife that Aaron Donald might make a surprising comeback to the NFL, specifically with the team he’s always been loyal to.
While that chatter has quieted down of late, Friday’s turn of events resembled an alarm bell ringing loud and clear.
Reported by TMZ, the iconic three-time defensive player of the year was caught on camera during a workout at the Rams’ training grounds in Woodland Hills. The session apparently spanned an hour, encompassing ladder drills, medicine ball throws, and agility exercises, pushing Donald to his absolute limits until he was visibly exhausted.
Though seeing Donald in action is no surprise considering his exceptional physical condition, most of his social media clips previously featured him in a gym rather than on a field.
Despite stepping away from professional football two years ago, Donald never abandoned his fitness regime. Observing his recent workouts, it’s clear why the possibility of his return isn’t dismissed by both teammates and NFL higher-ups.
Rumors began swirling about a potential return when Los Angeles signed Myles Garrett, the reigning defensive player of the year and widely considered the best defensive player in the game.
When asked about Donald’s potential return during Garrett’s introductory press conference, Rams head coach Sean McVay played it coy — but with a big smile on his face.
“If he’s interested, there is an opportunity…” said McVay.
“Aaron’s a guy that I stay really close in touch with, and I know the respect that he has for Myles [Garrett],” McVay added. “Talk to him about the opportunity to be able to bring him on board. If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35 I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip.”
During an exclusive interview with The California Post at the American Century Championship in Nevada, Andrew Whitworth said if Donald is OK with potentially suffering some kind of injury or ailment on a football field again, he could certainly see the defensive tackle re-signing with Los Angeles this offseason.
“I think it’s going to be how comfortable he is with going back out there and understanding not the positive, but the negative,” ex-Rams left tackle said. “And that is you get injured. Injuries, things that affect you past football. It’s going to be how comfortable he is with that.”
Whitworth — who’s hosting a camp with Donald later this month — said he actually recently spoke with Donald about a comeback, and he confirmed the 35-year-old who retired following the 2023 season “definitely” has “a pique of interest” in donning a Rams helmet once more.
However, Whitworth said he’s sure how Donald’s body feels will be the ultimate deciding factor.
“Aaron’s a guy like me,” Whitworth said. “He’s training all the time no matter what. You know when you go in there a few days how you feel and whether that’s every day life feel good, or I could sign up to play football.
“But only he will know that.”
That’s why Friday’s video has furthered the speculation of his return, with some analysts believing he will return this season to chase one more Super Bowl ring with a stacked Rams roster that now features Garrett.