When Aaron Donald walked off the field in Detroit following the Los Angeles Rams’ Wild Card loss to the Lions, he seemed at peace with his football journey. The future Hall of Famer accomplished everything a defender could. A three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Super Bowl champion, and franchise pillar walked away complete, having represented one franchise and two cities during his professional career.
We fast-forward to today, and Donald appears to be on the verge of a return. If Donald is to play again, he will do so at the age of 35, having taken the last two seasons off. Some wonder if Donald could be the player we all remember him being. Some question whether he still has it.
The beautiful part about that question is that it doesn’t matter. If Donald returns, there’s virtually zero downside, while an undervalued benefit could spark a championship run.
The Donald standard
Regardless of age, there are very few people in the world who are able to outwork Donald, and it’s doubtful any of them are in the NFL. There’s a level of his work ethic that is unquestioned, and that’s why he remains in good enough shape to attempt a return. In a recent video, he was keeping pace with Rams players through non-padded drills, and that’s enough to fix a looming issue.
The Rams’ defense in 2025 was not mature enough to win a championship. That’s what Jared Verse said. The Rams addressed the issue with several massive additions. However, as a result, Verse was sent away and the team has yet to replace its vocal leader.
Donald covers every base. A natural-born leader, Donald will uphold the standards of the unit, and if anyone remembers his playing days, he did not yield one foot, often being involved in the aggressive side games that make football great. It’s the Donald standard, and it’s that unquantifiable factor that drove the Rams back towards success.
Once Donald commits to a return, the team will protect him and manage his snaps. But his influence is landscape-changing, and as the game returns to him, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year should have a few surprises up his sleeve.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: There is no downside to a potential Aaron Donald return
Reporting by Brock Vierra, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brock Vierra, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
