Rams reveal sentiments about whether Aaron Donald returns for Super Bowl run

Rams reveal sentiments about whether Aaron Donald returns for Super Bowl run

Everyone was accounted for when the Rams officially opened training camp Saturday at Loyola Marymount University.

Barring someone flunking a physical or fitness test over the next 24 hours, the full team will take the field late Sunday afternoon to kick off their first practice of a season most predict will end in the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in February. First-round pick Ty Simpson signed his deal Saturday.

Rams legend Aaron Donald hasn’t decided whether he will return, but coach Sean McVay would welcome him back in a heartbeat. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

As training camp openings go, it was as drama-free as one could imagine. No contract holdouts. No big-time quarterback battle. No one asking for a trade. No feud between the coach and front office.

Just a whole bunch of “We not Me” talk and promises to honor every single step along the way to potentially winning another Super Bowl.

Interesting, then, that a player whose name isn’t even on the roster garnered the most attention Saturday.

For mostly good reasons.

Of course, we are talking about Rams legend Aaron Donald, who has been living the happy life of retirement for the last two years and seemed blissfully content to keep it that way.

Only for the Rams to trade for pass-rush demon Myles Garrett and inadvertently reignite the fire that burns in Donald’s belly for football greatness and dominance.

All of a sudden, Donald’s imagination was filled with the tantalizing possibilities of him and Garrett teaming up to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. In a season in which the Vince Lombardi Trophy appears so close to being reclaimed by the Rams, they can damn near see their reflection in it.

There aren’t a whole lot of scenarios that would tempt the 35-year-old Donald out of retirement or to insert himself back into the maniacally committed world he knows he has to operate in to be the best version of himself.


Football player wearing a blue Rams jersey with a captain's patch.
Donald has been undergoing a rigorous regimen to put himself in position to rejoin the Rams. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

But the Rams trading for Garrett has clearly piqued his interest, to the point where he is seriously contemplating a comeback to lend a big-time helping hand.

As for the Rams, they would welcome him back in a heartbeat.

“If that is something that he wants to do, we are going to try to be able to make that happen,” coach Sean McVay said.

Now comes the tricky part. Making sure Donald knows that he is absolutely wanted, and that the door to a return will be perpetually left open, but doing it in a way that respects the right Donald has earned to make the call on his terms and within his timeline.

“He is going through his process, and he is putting himself in a position to make a decision, and he’s earned the right to be able to do that,” McVay said. “And for those of you guys that do know Aaron, he’s very diligent; anything that he does, he does all in.”

Part of which means Donald not only asking himself if he’s willing to embrace the daunting physical and mental mandates he imposed on himself throughout his illustrious career but also if his body is still up to those challenges.

It’s not a matter of contemplation, either. Donald is literally putting himself through those rigors as a test run.

“He’s going through a very strict regimen and process that was similar to what he did when he played,” McVay said.

How his body and mind react to that activity will go a long way toward determining whether he returns.

McVay said Saturday that he periodically checks in with Donald but is too respectful of the future Hall of Famer to press him for an answer. It’s why the Rams’ head is as up in the air as everyone else about whether Donald is on his way back.

“I genuinely do not have an answer on whether he is or isn’t,” McVay said. “I know he’s preparing himself to be able to make that decision. And if he feels good, then you guys know he’s gonna be ready to rock. But if not, he’s earned the right; he doesn’t owe us anything.”

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