Aaron Donald could be just days away from making his highly anticipated return to an NFL field, and let me tell you, the league isn’t ready. Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay dropped the news Thursday: Donald is set to participate fully in practice. This is huge as the team ramps up for Monday night’s showdown against the New York Giants. While his official status isn’t finalized, the Rams are clearly holding their breath, hoping this veteran defensive tackle will be good to go.
The Comeback That Shook the NFL
Let’s rewind a second, because this comeback story is wild. Donald absolutely stunned the NFL when he unretired on August 30. That was more than two years after he first walked away from football back in March 2024. He’s a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a living legend! He wasn’t with Los Angeles when they traveled all the way to Melbourne, Australia, for their Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Now, the big question is all about how his body holds up through consecutive days of full practice. Does he still have that elite motor after so much time off?
No Benchmarks, Just Grit: The Donald Decision
McVay made it clear: there isn’t some specific physical benchmark Donald has to hit to get cleared. The decision hinges almost entirely on how the veteran *feels* after he ramps up his workload. McVay said Donald is “chomping at the bit” to get back out there, which, honestly, gives you chills just thinking about it. The only hiccup? That unusual Week 1 travel schedule for the Rams meant they had limited chances to work him into full team drills. So, if Donald feels good after Thursday and Friday’s practices, and he tells the coaching staff he’s ready, then boom: Los Angeles could have one of the most accomplished defensive players in NFL history back in their lineup.
This isn’t just a feel-good story for the Rams. They’re also monitoring star defensive end Myles Garrett, who underwent knee surgery on Monday. McVay said Garrett is progressing well, even joking that he’s healing “like Wolverine” after quickly ditching his crutches. But don’t get it twisted, Los Angeles is playing it cautious with the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Garrett is on injured reserve and will miss at least four games, with McVay stating, “We’re not going to rush him back.” With Garrett sidelined, Donald’s potential return on Monday isn’t just a boost, it’s a lifeline for a Rams defense trying to recover from that brutal season-opening defeat. Can Donald really be the answer the Rams so desperately need right away? We’ll find out Monday night.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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