Aaron Donald reignited interest in a return following an earth-rattling trade to start June. His Los Angeles Rams adding reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett sparked his comeback journey. But he's spending Monday picking up the pieces from the Arizona Cardinals loss.
And likely wondering what he really got himself into inside the “Rams House.”
Donald is dealing with more than the fallout of losing to the Cards. But his team sits at a stunning 2-4 overall. And are dealing with one setback after another, with multiple surfacing on Monday.
Aaron Donald surrounded by injury-plagued team
Monday rose as a dark day for a franchise already dealing with storm clouds hovering above them.
The Rams learned star wide receiver Davante Adams will sit between six to 10 weeks with a bad hamstring. This season presented Donald with a chance to team with the perennial Pro Bowler for the first time ever. But now Adams faces the possibility of not coming back until the regular season finale.
But the injuries pile up from there, especially on Donald's side of the football. Fellow teammate Kobie Turner, considered the original heir apparent for Donald, is out with groin injury for four to six weeks. Nose tackle Poona Ford will miss the rest of 2026 season with ruptured triceps.
Oh, Garrett went down in week one against the San Francisco 49ers. He's not officially cleared to come back to the Rams either.
Season becoming a bust for Aaron Donald, Rams
Donald, again, broke out of a two-year retirement with visions of winning a second Super Bowl ring. And clearly visualizing forming a historic tandem with the past Cleveland Browns All-Pro Garrett. But the ultimate vision was Donald winning this title on Valentine's Day 2027 inside SoFi Stadium, the same place where he won his first title on Feb. 2022.
Article Continues BelowNow reality has brutalized that said vision for Donald. This Rams team had the roster that mirrored the 2021 title winning one. But instead is receiving results that mirror the worst season ever under Sean McVay of 2022.
The injury bug instead has surfaced with a near similar energy that arrived after LA's last title run. That 2022 season saw one injury after another, including Donald going on injured reserve and the likes of quarterback Matthew Stafford plus wide receiver Cooper Kupp joining him there.
At 35, Donald now looks tasked to carry this defense once again. LA clearly felt “AD” lining up next to Turner, Ford, Garrett plus defensive tackle Braden Fiske would benefit the older defender, particularly drawing more one-on-ones. But Donald now must operate with a skeleton crew in the trenches.
Worse for LA? The December/January slate features current unbeatens the Kansas City Chiefs, 49ers, plus two contests against the defending Super Bowl champs. Donald and the Rams flip from trending Super Bowl contender, to trending downward during his once triumphant comeback to the league. So it's looking like that one-year, $20 million contract has become a wasted deal considering what “AD” has really walked into inside his old stomping grounds.