Aaron Donald Los Angeles Rams Jared Verse
Aaron Donald gives honest update on his body after first Rams game back 1
Aaron Donald was the last name called in the Los Angeles Rams’ pregame introductions at SoFi Stadium on Monday night, and he sprinted onto the field through a corridor of teammates for his first NFL game in 32 months. The Rams went on to beat the New York Giants 28-6 on Monday Night Football.
Donald played 32 defensive snaps, 18 of them as a pass rusher, and finished with three tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback pressure. The tackle for loss came late in the first half with Los Angeles up 14-0, when he stopped Najee Harris for a 2-yard loss on third-and-2 inside the Rams’ 5 and forced the Giants to settle for a field goal.
Aaron Donald taking the field in his return: pic.twitter.com/k5oK4bygK9
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 22, 2026
AARON DONALD MAKES THE THIRD DOWN STOP 😤
First game back, already making plays 💪
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/9TDYV9yUg5
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 22, 2026
Former Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron DonaldFormer Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald
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. © Michael Longo / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“It’s a little sore right now,” Donald said after the game when asked how his body felt.
“I’m just a little sore,” he said from the postgame podium, wincing for effect. “Man, just two padded practices, and then a game!”
🚨 Aaron Donald on how his body feels after his first game in 2 years:
“It’s a little sore right now” pic.twitter.com/zDCQP03HpF
— Polymarket Sports (@PolymarketSport) September 22, 2026
Donald retired in March 2024 and returned on Aug. 30, and he did not play in the season-opening loss to San Francisco in Melbourne. His wife and children joined him on the field during warmups. “They called me at least 20 times today,” Donald said of his kids.
“[My kids] called me at least 20 times saying ‘I’m ready to see daddy to play football.””
Aaron Donald tells @LauraRutledge how excited his kids were for him to return 🥹 pic.twitter.com/co3vkLVU8z
— ESPN (@espn) September 22, 2026
The Giants sent seven double-teams at Donald across those 32 snaps, a lighter load than he drew through most of his first 10 seasons.
“The game wasn’t really as fast as I thought,” Donald said. “It was more me, calming myself down. Overrunning stuff, or my feet not being on the ground where they’re supposed to be, not trusting my eyes, little stuff like that.”
He compared the feeling to the ends of his 2017 and 2018 contract holdouts, when he skipped camp and the preseason.
“It was the same way when I came back,” Donald said. “It took a couple of games to get going. But it’s a little different: I ain’t played in two years, so I’ve got to watch the film and see what I did good, what I did wrong.”
By his own timeline from those holdout years, the Rams are a couple of games away from the version of Donald they signed in August.
NFL, Aaron DonaldNFL, Aaron Donald
Former Pittsburgh Panther and retired NFL defensive tackle Aaron Donald speaks to the crowd during his jersey number retirement ceremony during halftime of the Pittsburgh Panthers vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2025.
How soon can the Rams lean on Aaron Donald with Myles Garrett out?
Garrett, acquired from Cleveland in June, had knee surgery last week after a zero-tackle debut in Australia and will miss at least four games on injured reserve. Donald’s ramp-up now runs on the same calendar as Garrett’s absence.
Sean McVay said during the game that Donald was energizing the defense, and the Rams held New York to 182 yards and kept it out of the end zone.
“I had some 1-on-1s, (but) I’ve just got to win them a little faster,” Donald said. “I popped up, got a little high, got too excited. Hopefully we keep getting blocked like that, and we’ll get going. I’m not worried about it.”