Aug 1, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay speaks to the media after training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Sean McVay Declines to Set "Invisible Deadline" for Aaron Donald's Rams Return 1
Aaron Donald overshadowed the box score at Arrowhead Stadium late Saturday night, even as HC Sean McVay’s Rams closed out a 20-12 preseason win over the Chiefs to move to 1-0. Postgame questions barely touched on the game itself. Reporters kept circling back to the legendary former star, who has quietly been working out with the team, and McVay’s answer gave fans plenty to think about.
Sean McVay Won’t Set a Timeline on Aaron Donald’s Decision
After the win over Kansas City, McVay addressed the Aaron Donald situation directly with the Los Angeles Times. Donald retired in March 2024 following ten seasons with the Rams, closing out his career with 111 sacks, 10 Pro Bowl selections, three Defensive Player of the Year awards and a Super Bowl LVI ring.
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Former Pittsburgh Panther and retired NFL defensive tackle Aaron Donald speaks at a press conference prior to the start of the Pittsburgh Panthers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2025.
He began reconsidering that decision in June, shortly after the Rams’ trade for Myles Garrett, and has since taken part in a full pads workout at the Rams facility that left coaches encouraged. Donald’s August follow-up, a helmet session that turned up the volume on comeback speculation, only added to the buzz.
McVay wants Donald to reach his own conclusion without outside pressure. He confirmed the two sides have held informal talks about what a return could look like, though nothing is locked in yet.
“I don’t want to say too much or put some sort of invisible deadline on something that doesn’t exist in my mind for him,” McVay told reporters.
Rams HC Sean McVay says he won’t put an “invisible deadline” on Aaron Donald to come out of retirement but added that he hopes the former star defensive tackle makes a decision “sooner than later.”https://t.co/jD4uj4i9bR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 16, 2026
The bigger wrinkle is the calendar. Los Angeles must trim its roster to 53 players by August 30, a date that could arrive before Donald settles on an answer. McVay said the team feels good about its depth either way, though pairing a healthy Donald with Garrett would give the Rams one of the scariest fronts in football.
A Hall of Famer’s Warning to Aaron Donald
Not everyone is convinced a return will be simple. Hall of Famer Cris Carter recently warned Donald about the physical toll of stepping away from football for nearly three years, sharing his own health scare on the Fully Loaded Podcast.
“Your body is not callous enough over the last two years and you’re not walking around with the same mentality as an NFL player,” Carter said plainly.
Donald has stayed in shape and impressed coaches during his recent session, but Carter’s words highlight the gap between training alone and surviving a full NFL season at 35. That gap is exactly what the Rams are weighing before Donald makes his call, and the next few practices should offer a clearer picture.
For now, the Rams sit at 1-0 in the preseason with Donald’s decision still open. Los Angeles Rams hosts the New Orleans Saints on August 22 at SoFi Stadium, a matchup that could bring fresh clues about Donald’s next move.
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