The NFL world was blindsided by a blockbuster trade on Monday when the Cleveland Browns traded reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for defensive end Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick.
Almost immediately, fans online joked about the news being enough to bring legendary defensive tackle Aaron Donald out of retirement.
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Amid the buzz, ESPN’s Pat McAfee reached out to Donald over text about a potential return. The response he received should excite Rams fans.
“[The Myles Garrett trade] for sure got me thinking,” Donald told McAfee over text. “Gotta see if that fire can light back up.”
While the 35-year-old retired in 2024, he’s still younger than multiple key defenders in the NFL.
He certainly didn’t outright commit to a return, but the Rams will immediately have one of the league’s strongest defense if he does decide to come out of retirement.
He last played in the 2023 season, when he made his 10th Pro Bowl and earned first-team All-Pro honors for the eighth time.
Ever since retiring, he’s been posting videos and images of workouts and training sessions to social media.
Donald spent all 10 seasons of his career on the Rams, dominating on defense. He retired with 543 career tackles, 111 sacks and 24 forced fumbles.
If he does decide to hit the field again and looks anything like he did a few years ago, the rest of the NFL will be in trouble.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
