One of the scariest defensive players in NFL history, Aaron Donald, is coming out of retirement, and the Los Angeles Rams expected to win the Super Bowl, have made another massive decision.
The Rams announced on Sunday that Aaron Donald is returning to football after being away for two seasons. According to Adam Schefter, Donald signed a one-year contract for $20 million, which could reach $30 million if he meets performance goals.
Donald last played for the Rams in 2023 and surprisingly retired in March 2024 when he was 32. The Rams' roster was already one of the best in the NFL, and adding stars like Myles Garrett and Donald makes them incredibly strong.
By signing Donald to a massive deal after a two-year break, the Rams now have two players, Garrett and Donald, who have won five of the last nine Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Angry NFL GM sends explicit text to Jordan Schultz
Donald is officially back with the Rams, and an unnamed NFL general manager was very upset when he heard the news. He used strong, inappropriate language when he learned Donald was coming back to the Rams. The GM sent a swear-word text to reporter Jordan Schultz.
“As you can imagine, when things materialized with Aaron Donald, my phone started to get quite active and my favorite text was from a GM who quite simply texted ‘f**k you’ to me,” Schultz said. “And when I subsequently responded, he said, ‘this is so fucking.”
One NFL GM texted me “f**k you” after hearing that Aaron Donald was returning 🤣 https://t.co/CFkY28yhZo pic.twitter.com/LVuBdj9GbD
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 1, 2026
“What he was saying was it's already hard enough that the Rams have Myles Garrett and they picked up Trent McDuffie and they have a tremendous defense all around that defense lines crazy,” Schultz added. “But then when you go out and get Aaron Donald, arguably the greatest ever to do it, it brings you to an entirely different level... He's not coming back to just play 25, 30 snaps a game and be a difference maker. And so, I think that strikes fear in a lot of people's heads. I think it also pisses a lot of people off and rightfully so.”
The Rams' defensive line coach, Giff Smith, met individually with his players to talk honestly about Donald's possible return and how it would affect them. Per TSN, Smith said:
“We did individual meetings, and they deserve the right to ask and understand and create clarity because the unknown is what bothers people. And so we had a good discussion, aired it all out, and then I told them then we're going to work the next day.”
With the addition of Garrett and Donald's strong bond with head coach Sean McVay, the Rams could now have the greatest defensive line in NFL history.
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