Aaron Donald Works Out With Rams in Step Toward Possible NFL Return

Key facts

Aaron Donald, 35, worked out with the Rams at their Los Angeles training camp facility on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Donald wore a helmet but no pads; using Rams equipment required the team to report the session on the NFL transaction wire.
Donald has not played since retiring after the 2023 season, when he posted 8 sacks and 16 tackles for loss and made first-team All-Pro.
Career totals: 10-time Pro Bowler, 8-time first-team All-Pro, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, 111 career sacks, one Super Bowl title with the Rams.
Return interest grew after the Rams traded for edge rusher Myles Garrett; Donald said in June the trade ‘for sure got me thinking’ about coming back.
No signing has been reported yet; outlets describe the workout as an early step, not a confirmed return.

Aaron Donald, the retired Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle, worked out with the team at its training camp facility in Los Angeles on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter as cited by CBS Sports and Sporting News. The session is described as the closest thing to official practice participation Donald has had since he retired following the 2023 season.

What happened at the workout

Donald asked to work out wearing a football helmet, and although he did not put on pads, he used Rams team equipment during the session, which took place during the team’s training camp. Because he used team equipment, the Rams were required to report his activity on the NFL’s transaction wire, which is how the workout became public. It is not yet known publicly how the workout went or how Donald’s body responded to it, per CBS Sports.

Where things stand in the return process

None of the reports confirm that Donald has signed with the Rams or committed to an on-field return. CBS Sports frames the workout as a step that, if his athleticism checks out, could lead to him signing and joining training camp in the coming weeks. Sporting News similarly describes it as a first step that shows Donald is more serious about coming out of retirement than before, without indicating any final decision has been made.

Background: the Myles Garrett trade and Donald’s comments

Speculation about a Donald comeback intensified after the Rams acquired star edge rusher Myles Garrett in a blockbuster trade, a move that strengthened what is already described as one of the league’s most formidable defensive fronts. Donald said in June that the Garrett trade “for sure got me thinking” about whether, at age 35, he could reignite his competitive drive. Pairing Donald with Garrett would give the Rams two of the most accomplished pass rushers in the league.

Donald’s career résumé and retirement

Donald, 35, has not played in an NFL game since the 2023 season. He is a 10-time Pro Bowler, an eight-time first-team All-Pro, and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year with 111 career sacks, according to Sporting News. He already won a Super Bowl with the Rams. He retired after closing out the 2023 season with another first-team All-Pro campaign in which he recorded eight sacks and 16 tackles for loss, per CBS Sports, meaning he stepped away while still producing at a high level.

What a return might look like

CBS Sports notes that even if Donald is not ready for Week 1 game action, he could still contribute to the Rams later in the season, and suggests that easing him in gradually might be the preferred approach given the physical toll a 17-game season would place on a body that has not played in two years. No outlet offers a specific timeline for a decision or potential debut.

What is next

No signing has been reported. The Rams and Donald appear to be in a wait-and-see phase, with further workouts or a signing decision expected to follow depending on how his body responds. Multiple outlets, including Yahoo Sports, describe an NFL insider prediction about Donald’s return chances, though specific details of that prediction were not included in the available reporting.

Sources

Featured photo: All-Pro Reels via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)