Aaron Donald’s potential unretirement isn’t just a Rams story

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 25: Aaron Donald, formerly of the Los Angeles Rams, walks on the field prior to the NFC Championship NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026 in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The potential unretirement of Aaron Donald has been one of the bigger offseason storylines across the NFL. The speculation started around when the Los Angeles Rams traded for Myles Garrett. Until that trade, there was no real sense that Donald had any plans to suit up in the NFL again, but after that move, fans speculated, talking heads speculated, and Donald still hasn't given a hard no" or a hard yes" to lining up with Garrett in 2026 as the speculation continues. Until Donald says, no" (if he says no), the speculation isn't going away.

Though Donald has been retired for years, when there is a chance that one of the greatest NFL players ever will come back and suit up to do it again, that gets noticed.

You of course will recall Tom Brady unretiring for his final ride with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That decision didn't only impact the NFC South. It impacted the NFL. With 32 teams, every decision impacts every team, but some stories get more mileage than others.

To no surprise, the potential unretirement of Donald is getting plenty of mileage.

Will Donald unretire? How will Donald perform? How will Donald and Garrett mesh together? How much can Donald give at age 35?

Rams fans are not the only fanbase who want answers to these questions, as a Donald unretirement isn't just a story for the Rams, it's an NFL story. Everyone is watching.

Naturally, it's different for the Rams because the headlines involving Donald are all publicity for L.A. And whereas you can push back on the notion that any publicity is good publicity"; the publicity the Rams would get if Donald actually rejoined them for a Super Bowl push, would seem anything but negative for the Rams, and maybe anything but positive for the rest of the NFL.

This story isn't going away, not yet. In fact (and however unlikely), this story has the chance to explode even further if Donald says that magical and affirming 3-letter word to Sean McVay and the Rams:

Yes.