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Aaron Donald retired from the NFL feeling complete, satisfied and burned out. More than two years later, Rams general manager Les Snead says the competitive edge Donald believed was gone has returned.
During an appearance on Post Sport’s Schein Time, Snead said Donald is seriously considering rejoining Los Angeles and has developed a football itch he had not had since winning the Super Bowl during the 2021 season.
“This is the first time that he’s had an itch, right, to scratch that football itch and maybe come back and do something meaningful,” Snead said.
That represents a dramatic reversal from Donald’s mindset when he retired in March 2024 after 10 seasons with the Rams.
“I’m complete, I’m full,” Donald said at the time. “I think the passion to play the game is no longer there for me.”
Donald said he still loved football but no longer had the desire to put his body through another training camp and 17-game regular season.
“I’m just, I’m burnt out,” Donald said. “I’m satisfied with what I was able to do in 10 years, and I think it’s time for me, at 32 years old, to retire from football and jump into the next step in my career.”
He had little left to prove. Donald spent his entire career with the Rams, won three Defensive Player of the Year awards, earned 10 Pro Bowl selections and was named a first-team All-Pro in seven consecutive seasons.
He also helped deliver the franchise’s Super Bowl title by pressuring Joe Burrow on the decisive fourth down to clinch the trophy.
For the first time since walking away, however, Snead believes Donald may miss the game enough to return.
“Since we celebrated that last championship, Aaron hasn’t had this edge,” Snead said. “I don’t think Aaron’s ever really thought, ‘Okay, I wish I was playing football.’ But I think everything that we’ve done, kind of where we’re at, it’s the first time he’s thinking about it in a very serious manner.”
Snead stopped short of predicting Donald’s decision, though.
The Rams intend to give him space rather than create an artificial deadline, allowing the future Hall of Famer to determine whether he can make the physical commitment required to again approach his extraordinary standard.
Despite the public restraint, those around the team increasingly believe the possibility is real. Snead confirmed Donald is weighing the decision carefully rather than casually entertaining a comeback.
“But I know he’s thinking about it in a serious manner,” Snead said. “He’s going through his process to make sure if he does say yes, or if he does say no, there’s a rhyme and reason to that.”
Nothing is official, and Donald could still decide that the physical cost outweighs the appeal of returning. But Snead’s comments make clear the situation has moved beyond the routine speculation that followed Donald’s retirement.
Donald once said he was full, complete and ready to move on. Now, according to the Rams executive who knows him best, the itch is back.
English (US)