Aaron Donald Plans Rams Return Monday Night

Aaron Donald, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, plans to make his season debut for the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night against the New York Giants, ending a two-year absence from the NFL. Donald told reporters on Friday that the plan is for him to play in the Week 2 matchup, marking his first game since retiring after the 2023 season. The announcement comes at a critical time for the Rams, who opened their 2026 season with a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia. The defeat was compounded by the loss of star pass rusher Myles Garrett, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and has been placed on injured reserve, ruling him out for at least four games. Donald's return is expected to help fill the void left by Garrett's absence on a defensive front that failed to record a sack in Week 1. Donald, now 35, retired in March 2024 after a 10-year career with the Rams, during which he accumulated 111 sacks, made 10 Pro Bowl selections, earned eight First-Team All-Pro honors, and won three Defensive Player of the Year awards. He also helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI in the 2021 season.