In many ways, Aaron Donald’s career ended at just the right time – 3x NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 10x Pro Bowls, and a Super Bowl ring. But two years later, the Los Angeles Rams traded for Myles Garrett, and the rumor mills spun Donald back onto the field. But not everybody’s okay with the potential unretirement.
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TMZ Sports asked Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson whether the Rams need Donald to win a Super Bowl now that Garrett’s on the roster. But the Rams legend shut it down.
“I’d love to have Aaron back, but I think they can win without him,” Dickerson said.
The Rams aren’t exactly rebuilding this year. They had the No. 1 offense in the league last season, averaging 394.6 yards per game. Their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, is the reigning MVP. And now that they’ve added Garrett, who logged an NFL record of 23 single-season sacks, their defense is right up there, too. For Dickerson, his old team doesn’t need anything more. And when asked what he’d say to Donald directly, Dickerson didn’t hesitate.
USA Today via Reuters
“Stay retired,” Dickerson said. “Enjoy retirement, man. Aaron did what he did. Play football. [He’s] such a great player, man, I love to watch him play. I don’t even watch football, but I watch him play. So, if he wants to come back and play, play. But why? What does he have to prove? He has nothing to prove. He did it.”
Donald left the game at 32 after 10 glorious seasons. Apart from his Pro Bowls and Super Bowl ring, he’s bagged 8 First-team All-Pro honors. He was voted the league’s No. 1 player by his peers in 2019, and also made the College Football Hall of Fame earlier this year. His list of accolades far surpasses what many athletes get in their lifetime. And yet, he’s not really done with football.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz texted Donald in early June about the Garrett trade and a potential unretirement scenario, and his response made it clear he’s thinking about it.
“I’m for sure flirting with the idea,” Donald said, per Schultz. “Helluva an opportunity with the Super Bowl in SoFi this year. If I can find the fire, it’s a possibility.”
Adam Schefter, on the other hand, has spoken to the team and believes that it’s “more likely than not” that Aaron Donald will unretire if the team approaches him with a plan.
“When you talk to all the people involved, nobody is coming out right now and saying, ‘Aaron Donald is coming back,’” Schefter said. “But everybody is acknowledging that it is a possibility. And the fact that it is even a possibility in June tells me that I think there’s every possibility it will become more real in July.”
What’s more, even head coach Sean McVay has spoken to Donald about it after acquiring Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. In Garrett’s introductory presser, McVay noted Aaron could still play well now if he unretires.
“Listen, if he’s interested, here’s what I’ll say: You talk to Aaron, and you see what he’s saying about that,” McVay said. “Here’s what I would tell you guys overall, too: Aaron is a guy that I stay really close in touch with, and I know the respect that he has for Myles. Talked to him about the opportunity to bring [Garrett] on board. If Aaron decides he wants to dust ‘em off at the age of 35. I bet you he can still do it at a pretty high clip.”
Even if Eric Dickerson believes Aaron Donald’s already done enough, all the other signs point in the opposite direction. He wants to play, and the team isn’t ruling a reunion out either. The door’s open, and he just needs to walk through.
