Aaron Donald rejoins the Los Angeles Rams on a $20 million deal alongside Myles Garrett
A one-year deal worth $20 million, escalating to as much as $30 million for 2026 per a source, brings Aaron Donald back to the Los Angeles Rams after two seasons away from the game. Donald is 35, a three-time Defensive…
Key takeaways
- Aaron Donald has rejoined the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year, $20 million deal that can escalate to as much as $30 million for 2026.
- Donald, 35, is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and nine-time All-Pro who had walked away from the game in 2024 after a 10-year career.
- He announced his return Sunday via an Instagram video captioned "We back" after training twice daily for nearly six weeks and completing two formal tryouts with the Rams.
- The Rams pair Donald with two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, giving the franchise two pass rushers who together hold five Defensive Player of the Year awards.
- Donald's stated goals are to recover his prior standard of play and win a Super Bowl, with the Rams' odds put at +550 before the signing was confirmed.
A one-year deal worth $20 million, escalating to as much as $30 million for 2026 per a source, brings Aaron Donald back to the Los Angeles Rams after two seasons away from the game. Donald is 35, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and nine-time All-Pro across a 10-year career he walked away from in 2024. One analyst put the Rams' Super Bowl odds at +550 before the signing was confirmed.
Donald announced the return Sunday through a video on Instagram, writing "We back" in the caption. The approach contrasted with Michael Jordan's 1995 NBA return, which arrived as a two-word statement. His wife Erica Donald followed on X, posting that she had let him out of the house. The preparation behind that announcement was less casual. Donald has been training twice daily with personal trainers for nearly six weeks and completed two formal tryouts with the Rams. He changed his diet as part of the reconditioning. The work was purpose-built: he wants to return to the level that earned those credentials, and the Rams gave him a roster that makes the second goal, a Super Bowl title, a realistic target.
The defensive concentration
The Rams added two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in June. Donald's arrival gives the franchise two pass rushers who together account for five Defensive Player of the Year awards. That combination, performing to prior form, would place the Rams' defensive line among the most decorated in NFL history by that measure. The team also added cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason, both of whom started for the Kansas City Chiefs. McDuffie is Pro Bowl caliber, per the source. Quarterback Matthew Stafford enters as the defending NFL MVP.
What to watch
Last season ended in the NFC Championship, a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Donald has been clear about two objectives: recover that prior standard of play and win the Super Bowl. The $10 million spread between the base and the escalated contract value is the number to track when the regular season opens.
Related reading
Filed via foxnews.com