Aaron Donald Comes Out of Retirement, Signs One-Year Deal With Rams

Aaron Donald is coming out of retirement and signing a one-year, $20M deal with the Los Angeles Rams that could be worth up to $30M with incentives, according to NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport.

Donald had been working out with the Rams in recent weeks and had been sparking comeback rumors, but the news is now official as the Rams are getting back one of the best players in franchise history.

Donald last played in the NFL during the 2023 NFL season and retired in March 2024 after 10 seasons in the league. He’s a three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, an eight-time first-team All-Pro, a 10-time Pro Bowler and the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Donald will now be joining forces on the defensive line with Myles Garrett, who the Rams traded for in a blockbuster deal earlier this offseason, to create one of the most stacked defensive lines on paper in NFL history. Donald and Garrett have a combined five NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards and 13 first-team All-Pro selections between them.

Besides Donald and Garrett, the Rams’ defensive line also has talented players in Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, Kobie Turner and Byron Young and will now be one of the most anticipated units in the league.

The Rams have truly gone all in this offseason, aiming to capitalize on their win-now potential with Matthew Stafford under center at quarterback. They’ve made numerous moves on the defensive side of the football this offseason, with their new additions being Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and now Aaron Donald.