The Pro Football Hall of Fame apparently can wait — until at least 2031.
When Aaron Donald retired two years ago, the Hall of Fame posted to social media, “The year 2029 is worth noting.”
That would have been the year Donald would be eligible as a certain first-ballot inductee in Canton, Ohio.
But on Sunday, Donald pushed back the timeline by announcing on Instagram that he is returning to join a star-studded Rams team among the favorites to win the Super Bowl in February at SoFi Stadium.
Donald’s return at age 35 was not entirely unexpected.
The three-time NFL defensive player of the year remains a fitness maniac and has consistently posted clips of his weightlifting sessions to social media.
Donald worked out for Rams defensive line coach Giff Smith and Rams trainers during training camp at Loyola Marymount. He also was captured on a video posted to social media that showed him hitting a blocking sled at UCLA. And he worked out at the Rams’ facility at least twice recently.
When the Rams in June traded for defensive end Myles Garrett, a two-time defensive player of the year, speculation and chatter began about the possibility of Donald joining him to form perhaps the most formidable pass-rushing duo in history.
When asked, at Garrett’s introductory news conference, about Donald’s possible return, coach Sean McVay did not rule out the possibility.
“Listen, if he’s interested…,” McVay said teasingly, adding, “If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip.”
Teammates and former teammates also weighed in on podcasts and social media.
Throughout training camp and preseason practices, McVay repeatedly said the Rams would let Donald go through his decision-making process with no hard timeline.
But McVay also noted that he was in contact with Donald almost daily, and hinted that “if there’s an arrow, it’s trending upwards.”
Garrett and other players said they would not try to sway Donald but would welcome him back.
As Donald pursues a second Super Bowl title — he clinched the first by pressuring Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow at the end of Super Bowl LVI — he can add to a 10-year legacy that is already among the league’s all-time greats.
Donald was voted defensive player of the year in 2017, 2018 and 2020, and has amassed 111 sacks, making him perhaps the most dominant interior defensive lineman in league history.
Garrett, 30, plays on the edge and in nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns produced 125.5 sacks, including a record 23 last season.
Donald, who had a career-best 20½ sacks in 2018, was something of an iron man in his first 10 seasons. He missed only six games because of injury in his career, all because of due to an ankle injury he suffered during the Rams’ disastrous 2022 Super Bowl-hangover season.
Donald joins a defense remade after the Rams’ loss to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks in last season’s NFC championship game.
The Rams traded for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and signed cornerback Jaylen Watson, both of whom won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Then they traded star edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round draft pick and future second- and third-round picks to the Browns for Garrett.
The Rams’ defensive front now includes Donald, Garrett, linemen Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Poona Ford and edge rusher Byron Young.
Donald is the second Rams player to come out of retirement and play for the team under McVay.
In January 2022, with several safeties sidelined because of injuries, the Rams signed All-Pro safety Eric Weddle to the practice squad. Weddle was promoted to the roster and played extensively, calling defensive signals in the Super Bowl.
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