Aaron Donald was at the peak of his game when he decided to retire following the 2023 season, which is why many have wondered if the former Los Angeles Rams star will get the itch to make a comeback. It sounds like there is almost no chance of that happening.
Donald joined Pat Bostick on 93.7 The Fan’s “Panthers Insider Show” on Saturday to discuss recently being named to the 2025 Pitt Hall of Fame class. During the interview, the topic of Donald possibly coming out of retirement arose.
The 33-year-old made a very strong statement about whether he would ever return to the NFL as a player.
“As far as playing football, I don’t miss it,” Donald said. “I don’t even have the passion or excitement to want to play football. I will always love football, but once you lose the passion, it was time to walk away.”
Like countless other players who have retired, Donald said he misses being in the locker room around his former teammates. That does not mean he has the urge to play again, even if he was still performing at a Pro Bowl level when he decided to walk away.
Donald made the Pro Bowl in each of his 10 NFL seasons with the Rams. He also won a Super Bowl in 2021 and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times. Few players in history have a resume that rivals Donald’s, let alone accomplishing all of those feats in only a decade.
There was some talk of Donald returning last season for a potential playoff run, but that did not happen even after the Rams reached the postseason. The former defensive tackle seems perfectly content in retirement.
