Aaron Donald has yet to formally decide whether or not he will play this season, but those in the know seem to think the decision has already been made.
Albert Breer of The MMQB appeared on “The Dan Patrick Show” Tuesday and suggested that Donald will likely return to the NFL and play the entire 2026 season. He does not anticipate a decision being made before next week, but also indicated that Donald and the Rams will have a plan in place to make sure he can get up to speed in time for Week 1.
“I think he’s coming back and I think he will play the full season,” Breer predicted. “Sean McVay and Aaron Donald are very, very close. They already have a framework of a plan laid out for how this is going to work and what this is going to look like.”
"I think he's coming back and I think he will play the whole season."
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 4, 2026
– @AlbertBreer on Aaron Donald pic.twitter.com/wsCSnGxwOg
On one hand, no decision has been made publicly. On the other hand, even coach Sean McVay is pretty strongly hinting that Donald is leaning toward a comeback. Other insiders have also indicated that a comeback is more likely than not at this point.
Whispers of a potential Donald comeback began to spread the moment the Rams traded for Myles Garrett in June. Donald himself reportedly told media members that he instantly began weighing the pros and cons, though he is clearly determined to make sure he can fulfill the physical demands of an NFL season before committing to playing.
