Aaron Donald’s eventual return to the NFL will be delayed a bit longer when the Los Angeles Rams opted against taking the former DT to Australia for their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Rams agreed that Donald would stay in LA and not trek down to Melbourne. Three-time Defensive Player of the Year Donald was an obvious factor in the reasoning, and only less than a month ago, coach Sean McVay indicated he was focusing on McVey’s long-term return to football.
On August 30, Donald officially returned to the game for the Rams, marking the end of his retirement and a huge surprise to the entire football world, as the team already had star pass rusher Myles Garrett on their defense. But his recovery has come at a rapid pace with few chances to come back for a regular season contest. He missed his first 11 on 11 training session until just before the opening match.
The 16-hour flight to Australia contributes to the Rams’ choice. The coaching staff have decided to keep him in Los Angeles and work on him more physically before putting him in a game internationally.
The disappointment felt by McVay wasn’t as severe as it might sound, it seems; it only was a matter of when and how, rather than a big problem. The senior player also said that he feels good on his path to recovery.
Ultimately, that means fans will have to wait and see until the next game for Donald to return to the NFL. The Rams will therefore have to call upon the rest of their defensive front in the interim to offset Donald as he continues to build his game.
Los Angeles is already casting its gaze at the rest of the season, but one of the biggest questions that remains regarding the team is whether or not Donald is coming back.
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