Aaron Donald spent his entire NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams. He decided to hang up his cleats in 2024. However, according to Pat McAfee, the Super Bowl LVI champion is coming out of retirement after the team’s recent blockbuster acquisition.
On Monday, the Rams finalized a trade with the Cleveland Browns for star defensive end Myles Garrett. On Tuesday, on his show, Pat McAfee said he reached out to Donald, and according to his sources, this trade got him re-evaluating his retirement.
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On Wednesday, McAfee had GM Les Snead on the show. When he was told about the Aaron Donald situation, Snead urged him to continue pressing the retired defensive tackle.
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“Continue texting Aaron Donald,” Snead told McAfee and his team. “Keep, you know, I know you said you don’t text with him often, but this is probably the time to build that daily text chain. We’re Rams fans.
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“But you, I can say I haven’t (talked to Donald). Sean (McVay) has had conversations with Aaron. He still communicates with Aaron a good bit.”
The Rams drafted Donald with the No. 13 pick back in 2014. He was part of the team that defeated the Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl LVI during the 2021 season. In 10 seasons, the defensive tackle played in 154 games and recorded 543 tackles, 111.0 sacks, 176 tackles for loss and 260 quarterback hits.
Donald said in a June 2024 interview with Channing Crowder that he decided to retire at the age of 32 because he thought he had accomplished enough as a football player. Furthermore, he lacked the desire and passion to keep up with the rigorous training schedule.
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Jason Kelce shares his thoughts on Aaron Donald’s unretirement after the Myles Garrett trade
The Rams are hoping to be a strong Super Bowl contender in the upcoming season following the blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett. If they had Aaron Donald on the roster, then their defense might have been one of the strongest in the league.
On Wednesday’s episode of the “New Heights” podcast, retired Eagles star Jason Kelce joked that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would have to step in to stop Donald and Garrett from playing together.
“What if it’s Myles Garrett and AD on the same team, on the same field?” Kelce said (Timestamp 10:30). “That would be cheating. Roger (Goodell) would have to step in. If I was still playing O-line in the league, I would start a petition.
“This isn’t allowed. What are we doing here? I mean, those two players on the same team, those were easily the most physically gifted guys I played against.”
The Rams will face the 49ers in the season-opener in Australia on Sept. 10 at 8:35 p.m. ET.
Edited by Priyam Hazarika
