Aaron Donald has official workout with Rams as rumors of a comeback continue
Aaron Donald has taken a step to actually come out of retirement.
Donald had an official workout with the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday. While that doesn't mean he's back on their roster just yet, it's a sign that he's at the very least testing the waters for a possible return.
Aaron Donald worked out today for the Los Angeles Rams, per the NFL wire. pic.twitter.com/VjR0LdRHnz
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 5, 2026
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Donald wanted to do a workout in a football helmet again. He did not wear pads during the workout, but he used Rams team equipment and did the workout at their facility. That required the Rams to report it to the NFL — which is why his name appeared on the wire on Wednesday afternoon.
Donald was arguably the best defensive end in the NFL before he retired after the 2023 NFL season. The 10-time Pro Bowler helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl title in the 2021 campaign, and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times. He had eight sacks and earned an All-Pro nod in his final season in the league.
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Rumors that he may unretire started surfacing in recent weeks, especially after the Rams struck a deal to bring in Myles Garrett — who is now arguably the top defensive player in football. The duo, even with Donald now at 35 years old and several years away from the game, would undoubtedly be a strong defensive front for the Rams this fall.
"Someone who, as great as he is, I think he can definitely come back and do it," Garrett said last month about Donald's possible return. "It's just whether he wants to do that for however many games he chooses to play."
The Rams went 12-5 last season and reached the NFC championship, marking their deepest playoff run since winning the Super Bowl in 2021. They'll open the 2026 season against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia on Sept. 10.
It's unclear if Donald's workout swayed his decision one way or another. We don't know how close he is to making a decision yet, either. But a workout at the team's facility could be a first step to a comeback.
We'll see what happens next.
