EXCLUSIVE: Trent McDuffie revealed what it was like to share a locker room with Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald, while also speaking on how the Rams' disastrous outing in Australia can power the team
Trent McDuffie spoke on a number of topics, including getting to share a locker room with Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald
Trent McDuffie spoke on a number of topics, including getting to share a locker room with Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald(Image: GETTY)
View 2 Images
INGLEWOOD, California — The saying goes that the rich get richer, and that sentiment can be said for the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFL season.
Already boasting the 2025 MVP in Matthew Stafford and coach Sean McVay, the Rams shored up their squad, trading for two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett while also landing two-time Super Bowl champion Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for four draft picks.
Then, just weeks before the start of the season, all-time defensive talent Aaron Donald announced he would unretire and join the Rams for one last Super Bowl push with this current core. Donald's return was met with massive applause, with both the crowd in Los Angeles and McVay singing the star's praises after his first game back, a 28-6 win over the New York Giants.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror U.S. Sports after Monday's win over the Giants, McDuffie revealed what it was like to share a locker room with Garrett and Donald, who won the Defensive Player of the Year award three times. "It's great," McDuffie said simply after the game.
"I mean, you talk about two guys that, shoot, are really Hall of Famers. You know what I mean? Playing behind them, you're going to have a lot of opportunities to make plays on the ball. So like I said before, I always tell them, we're going to cover to make sure you get sacks, and y'all go get sacks so that we can get some free picks."
McDuffie is a star cornerback in his own right, often being rated among the best in the league every season thus far. Against New York, the 26-year-old recorded his first pick with the team, snaring a woeful Jameis Winston pass, who replaced star Jaxson Dart after he suffered a knee injury in the first quarter.
Also, though Garrett missed the Week 2 matchup after undergoing knee surgery, which will keep him out for at least four weeks, Donald showed little rust in his first game since announcing his retirement more than two years ago. The 35-year-old recorded one tackle and two assisted tackles against the Giants.
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) interception the ball during the NFL game between the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Rams on September 21, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA
Trent McDuffie is playing his first season in Los Angeles with the Rams after a successful stint with the Kansas City Chiefs(Image: Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
What's more, McVay took a moment after the win to praise McDuffie's play, calling him a "stud." "He was active, did a great job being sticky in coverage," the 40-year-old told reporters Monday.
He added, "I thought even on a couple plays where the ball's down the field, you can see his heart rate never raises. He just stays calm and is in his most comfortable position in those look and leans. He was able to be activated as a blitzer a little bit. He did a great job tonight, as did our whole defense, but Trent was a stud."
The win was a much-needed result for the Rams, who had been dealing with the fallout from their disastrous Week 1 outing in Australia against the San Francisco 49ers. Heading into that matchup, the 49ers arrived roughly a week before the game, while the Rams landed in Australia just hours before kickoff, culminating in a 27-7 Los Angeles loss.
After Monday's game, McVay owned up to his mistake, calling himself a "dumba-- coach" for scheduling a flight so close to game time. Speaking on the disastrous outing, McDuffie offered no excuses and instead stated that the team just didn't play to their standard, which led them to want to bounce back strong against the Giants.
"I mean, the consensus, it felt like all the players felt good. You know what I mean?" McDuffie posited. "The flight wasn't too bad. I think we just didn't execute.
"So I think everybody took their own accountability. I think coach, him saying that [he was a 'dumba--'] was him taking accountability. But us as players, at the end of the day, we had to go out there and play. And we didn't show up.
"So I know this week during practice, just the overall feeling was we had to get back to us."
With Los Angeles getting back to its winning ways, the Rams now await Garrett's return to form one of the NFL's more deadly defensive units. Before that day comes, however, Los Angeles will be taking it one week at a time, with the Rams set to face the Denver Broncos in Week 3.