Aaron Donald has not played an NFL snap since retiring in 2024. Yet after reports linked him to a possible return, one former [Rams](https://www.sportingnews.com/uk/nfl/los-angeles-rams) star offered a reminder that coming back is much harder than it sounds.
That former player is Eric Weddle, who returned from retirement during the Rams’ Super Bowl run in 2021. While Weddle believes Donald could still play, he said the decision reaches far beyond talent.
Weddle explained that the biggest challenge is not ability but commitment. “It's just a lot,” he [said](https://www.si.com/nfl/breer-challenges-aaron-donald-comeback-eric-weddle). “It really comes down to the commitment and the fire, if you have it or not. And only he knows that.” For Donald, that means deciding whether he wants to return to the daily grind after two years away from the game.
The timing also matters. Weddle came back for a playoff push that lasted only a few weeks. A full season would be a different challenge. “For me, there was absolutely zero chance for me to go back for a whole season,” Weddle said. He suggested a limited late-season return could make more sense than reporting for training camp and playing 17 games.
Even if Donald remains in top shape, Weddle warned that football places demands on the body that training cannot fully copy. Defensive tackles absorb contact on nearly every snap, and the recovery can become the toughest part of the process. Weddle said Donald would need to handle how his body feels after games, not just during them.
That warning comes from experience. Weddle said the six-week comeback that ended with a Super Bowl title still affects him today. “I still am feeling it, if I'm being honest,” he said. “I think it's definitely set me back, health-wise. No doubt about it.”
Weddle believes Donald can return if he chooses. The question, he said, is whether the future Hall of Famer wants to accept the physical and mental cost that comes with it.
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