The Los Angeles Rams pulled off one of the biggest shockers of the NFL offseason on Monday, acquiring Myles Garrett in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year now lands on a roster that was already among the league's best.
The move immediately raised one question: Could Aaron Donald, who retired after the 2023 season, be tempted back? The timing would be curious — the Super Bowl is at SoFi Stadium this year, the same venue where Donald made the winning play in his last championship.
The list looks clean on paper; the hard part is everything that happens after it is printed.
Donald Opens the Door
During Tuesday's episode of "The Pat McAfee Show," McAfee texted Donald about a possible return. The response was unexpected.
"It for sure got me thinking," Donald wrote, according to McAfee. "35, removed two years ago, got to see if that fire can light back up."
He sent similar messages to three other people over a 24-hour period. The most detailed went to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz: "I'm for sure flirting with the idea. Helluva an opportunity with the Super Bowl in SoFi this year. If I can find the fire, it's a possibility."
That's worth noting — he's been gone two full seasons, but the pull of a home-field Super Bowl appears to be doing some heavy lifting.
What His Inner Circle Is Saying
Michael Brockers, who spent seven seasons as Donald's teammate, offered subtle hints on the "Locked on Rams" podcast. "My guy is staying ready so he doesn't have to get ready," Brockers said. "I'm going to leave the audience with that."
LeSean McCoy, speaking on his "Speakeasy" podcast, said he texted Donald after the Garrett trade. "You know I sent that text out, 'AD, what we going to do?' He thinking about it," McCoy said.
The consistency across these conversations is notable — no one is shut down, but no one is committing either.
McVay Weighs In
Rams coach Sean McVay was asked about Donald on Tuesday and did not dismiss the idea.
"Listen, if he's interested," McVay said. "Here's what I'll say: You talk to Aaron and you see what he's saying about that. If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip."
Donald, 35, has remained active since retiring. Workout videos have surfaced regularly over the past two years, with the most recent appearing just days ago.
After the trade was announced Monday, new Rams cornerback Jaylen Watson took to Twitter attempting to recruit Donald. Watson signed with the Rams in March after four seasons with the Chiefs.