Aaron Donald has taken his most concrete step toward a possible NFL comeback, completing an official workout with the Los Angeles Rams two years after announcing his retirement.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year worked out at the Rams’ facility on Wednesday, August 5th. His name subsequently appeared on the NFL’s daily transaction report, which classified the session as a tryout.
The designation immediately intensified speculation that Donald could rejoin the only franchise he represented during his 10-season career.
Neither Donald nor the Rams has announced a contract or confirmed that he will play in 2026. The 35-year-old remains on the NFL’s retired list and would need to apply for reinstatement before returning to the field.
The Workout Had to Be Reported as an Official Tryout
View this post on Instagram
Donald wanted to train in a football helmet and used Rams equipment at the team’s facility, requiring Los Angeles to report the activity to the league. The NFL transaction report therefore listed the workout as an official tryout, although the session was not structured like a conventional audition for an unfamiliar player.
Donald did not wear pads. The workout allowed him to test football-specific movement and evaluate how his body responded without taking part in a full-contact practice. TMZ Sports previously reported that Donald had been conditioning at the Rams’ Woodland Hills facility in July as he considered whether to attempt a return.
Sean McVay Called It the Rams’ ‘Best Tryout’
Head coach Sean McVay joked about the official designation when asked whether Donald’s session had looked like an actual tryout. “Best tryout we’ve ever had,” McVay said. “I think he could make the team.”
McVay explained that reporting the workout was simply the way the Rams could train with Donald while remaining within league requirements. “That was honestly our way of being able to get a workout with him within the parameters of what’s necessary,” he said. McVay added that Rams run game coordinator and defensive line coach Giff Smith had called it “the greatest tryout he’s ever had.”
The Myles Garrett Trade Changed the Conversation
Talk of Donald returning accelerated after the Rams acquired reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. McVay said the possibility first emerged when Los Angeles sought Donald’s opinion while considering the trade. The idea of playing alongside Garrett gave the retired defensive tackle another reason to evaluate whether he wanted to return.
Donald later told Garrett that he was seriously considering rejoining the Rams, according to Reuters. McVay has said Donald is following a “very strict, regimented process” similar to the training routine he maintained during his career. “He is putting himself in a position to make a decision,” McVay said in a Rams training-camp update. “He’s earned the right to be able to do that.”
Donald announced his retirement in March 2024 after recording 111 sacks and 24 forced fumbles across 154 regular-season games. His 10 seasons with the Rams also included three Defensive Player of the Year awards, eight first-team All-Pro selections, 10 Pro Bowl appearances and a victory in Super Bowl LVI.