Aaron Donald knew he wanted to return to Rams two weeks ago

Two weeks ago, defensive tackle Aaron Donald decided to return to the Los Angeles Rams after a two-year retirement, according to a statement made by Donald to reporters. Donald revealed that he had been contemplating his decision for about two weeks prior to his announcement. He maintained regular contact with head coach Sean McVay, providing updates on his health and readiness for the return.

Donald signed a one-year, $20 million deal with potential playoff incentives that could increase the total value to $30 million. The Rams' strategic offseason, featuring acquisitions of defensive end Myles Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffie, played a significant role in convincing Donald to rejoin the team. Donald praised the team's progress, noting that the additions of Garrett and McDuffie made the Rams feel like a complete unit.

He expressed his excitement about being part of what he called "a complete team with me here, without me here." Ranked as one of the NFL's top defensive players, Donald brings an impressive career regular-season record of 543 tackles, 111 sacks, and 24 forced fumbles to his return.