Aaron Donald Ends Retirement to Rejoin Los Angeles Rams

Aaron Donald is coming out of retirement to play for the Los Angeles Rams in 2026, the team announced Sunday. The move returns one of the NFL's most decorated defensive players to the only franchise he has represented, more than two years after he stepped away from the sport.

Watch the highlights:

The Rams said Donald, 35, made his decision official on August 30. He retired on March 15, 2024, after 10 seasons with the organization, which selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in every season of that first stint.

NFL.com reported that Donald is signing a one-year deal worth $20 million, with the potential to reach $30 million through playoff incentives. The Guardian also reported the one-year agreement and its possible value. The Rams' announcement confirmed his return but did not include financial terms.

Donald resumes a career that already includes three AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, eight first-team All-Pro selections and the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year award. According to career figures published by the Rams and NFL.com, he recorded 111 sacks, 543 tackles, 176 tackles for loss and 24 forced fumbles across 154 regular-season games before retiring.

He was also central to Los Angeles' Super Bowl LVI championship. Donald helped secure the title against the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in February 2022, closing his final full season with the Rams' first championship since the franchise returned to Los Angeles.

The possibility of a comeback had developed throughout the summer. Rams coach Sean McVay said in July that Donald was following a strict training process while considering his future, and the league's transaction wire later listed team tryouts on August 5 and August 16. Donald now joins a defensive front that also features Myles Garrett, acquired from the Cleveland Browns on June 1 after setting an NFL single-season record with 23 sacks in 2025. His return gives the Rams another proven interior pass rusher as they prepare for the 2026 campaign.