Aaron Donald returns after 32 months, Rams top Giants 28-6

Back from a retirement that began in March 2024, the defensive tackle logged three tackles and a key stop behind the line in Los Angeles' Monday night win.

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald was back in a Los Angeles Rams uniform Monday night at SoFi Stadium, appearing in an NFL game for the first time in 32 months. Introduced last among the home starters, he ran out through a line of teammates before the Rams defeated the New York Giants 28-6 on Monday Night Football.

Donald stayed on the field for 32 defensive snaps, 18 of them rushing the passer, and recorded three tackles, a tackle for loss and a quarterback pressure. His tackle for loss arrived near the end of the second quarter with the Rams leading 14-0, dropping Najee Harris two yards behind the line on third-and-2 inside the Los Angeles 5 and forcing New York to kick a field goal.

Afterward, Donald admitted his body was feeling the effects of limited preparation. "It's a little sore right now," he told reporters, noting he had taken part in only two padded practices before the game. The Rams allowed 182 yards and kept the Giants out of the end zone, and head coach Sean McVay said during the broadcast that Donald was giving the defense energy.

Donald originally announced his retirement in March 2024 and came back to the Rams on Aug. 30. He sat out the season-opening loss to San Francisco in Melbourne, and his wife and children accompanied him on the field for pregame warmups. He said his kids phoned him about 20 times on game day to say they were eager to watch him play again.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year said the pace of the game surprised him less than his own mechanics, citing overrunning plays and mistimed footwork as issues he plans to correct on film. He drew seven double-teams across his snaps, fewer than he typically faced earlier in his career, and compared his rust to his returns from the 2017 and 2018 holdouts, when he needed a couple of games to round into form.

His workload takes on added importance with Myles Garrett sidelined. Garrett, obtained from Cleveland in June, went on injured reserve after knee surgery and will miss at least four games, meaning Donald's buildup and Garrett's recovery are running on similar timetables.