Aaron Donald’s return to the field, after two seasons away, isn’t happening yet. The future Hall of Famer won’t travel with the Los Angeles Rams for their Thursday game against division rival San Francisco 49ers in Australia, according to head coach Sean McVay. This is a tough pill for fans who’ve been waiting for the defensive titan to suit up again, especially for such a big early-season matchup.
Rams Taking the Long View on the Legend
So, what’s the deal with Donald missing the overseas trip? Well, the Rams are apparently playing it super safe with their superstar. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the team wants to give Donald “more time to ramp up” before he makes his much-anticipated return following his two seasons of retirement. When you think about it, he last played a game in the 2023 campaign, so needing a bit more time to shake off the rust isn’t a huge shock. McVay and the Rams are clearly looking at the long-term for a guy who’s coming back to a team presumed to be Super Bowl favorites. They’re not rushing him back, even for a marquee game across the globe. It’s all about ensuring he’s ready to go for the full season, not just one early battle.
Donald’s Own Words: “No Drop Off” but “Not Where I Want To Be”
Donald himself has been upfront about his progress, and his words are telling. “A couple plays I was a little rusty,” he admitted to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. “It isn’t where I want to be, but it’s pretty damn good, if you ask me. To not play football in two years, to be moving how I’m moving, like I said, it’s really no drop off. It’s not where I want to be because I can see it and I know there are things that I want to clean up and I’m going to clean up. The more reps I do, the more I play, it’ll get there. But he’s still there.” He also dropped a classic Donald line: “I never do anything to be average,” making it clear he expects to perform at a high level. At 35, it might be a stretch to expect him to reclaim his title as the absolute best defensive player in the league, but his resume is ridiculous: three Defensive Player of the Year awards, a Super Bowl title, Defensive Rookie of the Year, eight First-Team All-Pro selections, and 10 Pro Bowl nods. The thought of him lining up with Myles Garrett? That’s nightmare fuel for any offensive line, and it proves even a slightly “rusty” Donald is still elite.
The San Francisco 49ers offensive line, for one, has to be breathing a massive sigh of relief knowing they won’t have to face Aaron Donald this Thursday. But don’t get too comfortable, Niners fans. These two division rivals are set to clash again in Week 14. We’ll be watching to see when Donald finally hits the field, and you know he’ll be ready to make a statement then!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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