Rams' Sean McVay Discusses Aaron Donald NFL Comeback Rumors After Viral Workout Video

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay gave his thoughts on former star defensive tackle Aaron Donald potentially coming out of retirement and returning to the team.

"I have crossed paths with Aaron Donald," McVay said during a Wednesday appearance on The Daily Flock podcast (h/t Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk). "What's special is, we have a really special relationship. It's way bigger than football. I've heard him say it before and it means the world to me — and I feel the same — it's family with us. He's done so much for me. I love the man he is. I love the husband, the father, the son — he represents a lot of the things that are right.

"And what he's going to do is, he is thinking about this. He's going to go through his process. And the one thing about Aaron Donald is, what he does, he does it full speed ahead."

Donald hasn't played in the NFL since the 2023 season, but was spotted working out at the Rams' facilities in a video posted by TMZ Sports on July 10.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was interested in seeing how he felt putting on pads and going through drills again, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"He told the team that he wanted to go there, work out, see how he felt, see how he reacted, see everything that went along with being back in pads on the football field and seeing how it made him feel," Schefter reported during a July 13 appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (0:29 mark). "I don't know what he told them about that after he went through those workouts at the facility, but I really think it was just a trial method to see how his whole body reacted, how his mind reacted to being back out there."

While Donald has hinted at ending his retirement in the past, his possible return has been frequently teased after Los Angeles acquired star pass-rusher Myles Garrett in a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns on June 1.

Garrett is coming off a stellar 2025 campaign in which he set a new NFL single-season record with 23 sacks, earning unanimous Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Although Donald is now 35 years old, he remained productive through the end of his career in Los Angeles. During his last season in 2023, he amassed 23 quarterback hits, 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks.

If Donald comes out of retirement and joins Garrett, the Rams would boast one of the NFL's most imposing defensive units as they look to go on another deep playoff run.