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NFL great Aaron Donald comes out of retirement to rejoin stacked Los Angeles Rams

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • Aaron Donald is coming out of retirement to rejoin the Los Angeles Rams, his only NFL team.
  • The three-time defensive player of the year retired in March 2024 after a 10-season career with the Rams.
  • Donald will return to a Rams roster that includes quarterback Matthew Stafford and defensive end Myles Garrett, with a reported one-year contract worth $20 million and up to $30 million with bonuses.

Aaron Donald is returning to the Los Angeles Rams at 35, bringing one of the NFL’s most decorated defensive careers back to the team that drafted him.

Donald spent all 10 of his professional seasons with Los Angeles after the Rams selected him 13th overall in 2014. He won defensive player of the year three times, earned first-team All-Pro honors eight times and helped the Rams win the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021 season. He retired in March 2024 at age 32.

His comeback follows Los Angeles’ acquisition of Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. Garrett, the reigning defensive player of the year, set the NFL’s single-season sack record in 2025. The Rams already entered the season as Super Bowl favorites, and Donald’s return could give them an imposing defensive pairing if he can approach the form of his peak years.

ESPN reported that Donald will earn $20 million on a one-year deal, with the contract potentially reaching $30 million through bonuses. He finished his Rams career with a franchise-record 111 sacks. Despite standing 6 feet 1 inch and weighing 280 pounds when he retired, Donald built his reputation as a defensive tackle through exceptional athleticism and relentless work.

The Rams open their season on Sept. 10 against NFC West rivals the San Francisco 49ers. If they reach the Super Bowl, they would play at SoFi Stadium, the site of their 2022 championship victory.

About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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