Sean McVay Stays Vague on Aaron Donald Comeback With Opener 13 Days Out
McVay admits everything's 'up in the air' as the 35-year-old ponders a return — and the Rams open in Australia on Sept. 10.
No signed deal, no timeline — nothing to act on until he commits.
- Rams open Sept. 10 vs 49ers in Australia
- Donald retired after the 2023 season
- Donald is 35 and has worked out with the Rams
- McVay says everything is 'up in the air'
- Less than two weeks until Week 1
Sean McVay stood in front of cameras after Thursday's preseason finale and, in so many words, told everyone he knows exactly as much as we do about Aaron Donald's future: not much. The Rams head coach said the contract, the timeline, whether a return could happen quickly — all of it is unsettled, because Donald hasn't told the team what he's actually going to do. And the clock isn't slowing down: Los Angeles opens the regular season September 10 against the 49ers in Australia, less than two weeks from now.
This is the situation in a nutshell. Donald, one of the best defensive linemen the league has ever seen, walked away after the 2023 season. Now 35, he's been working out with the Rams this offseason and dropping enough hints about a comeback to keep the story alive. McVay made clear the door is open — he said the Rams absolutely want to entertain a return if Donald decides he wants it — but until that call comes, they're stuck in neutral.
What McVay Actually Said
Don't read the vagueness as a snub. McVay's message was closer to an invitation than a brush-off: the team is focused on the roster it has, and the moment Donald signals he's in, they'll figure out the rest. He said he wished he could offer more clarity but simply doesn't have it. That's a coach protecting a locker room while leaving a Hall of Fame-caliber door wide open — nothing more sinister than that.
The problem for a comeback is logistical, not emotional. Ramping a 35-year-old two-plus years removed from football back to game shape in under two weeks, sorting a contract, and getting him across the world for a Week 1 opener is a tall order. Even if Donald says yes tomorrow, the idea that he suits up in Australia feels optimistic.
The Fantasy Angle
For IDP managers, this is a name to file, not a name to chase. A rusty comeback player with no confirmed deal, no snap projection and a Week 1 game he may not even play in isn't a Sunday-of-your-draft priority. In leagues where defensive linemen matter, Donald in his prime was a weekly cheat code — but you're drafting the 2026 version, and that version doesn't exist yet on paper.
Bottom line: keep Donald on your watch list and let someone else spend a speculative pick. If he signs and the Rams commit to real snaps, he's an instant add in deeper IDP formats. Until there's ink and a role, there's nothing to start and nobody to sit — just a story worth checking back on.
