Defensive tackle Aaron Donald is not traveling to Australia with the Los Angeles Rams, who ruled him out for the regular-season opener on Tuesday.
Rams coach Sean McVay said offseason addition Myles Garrett, limited by knee swelling in recent weeks, will start and make his debut with the team on Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Rams opted for a cautious approach with Donald, who last played in January 2024 in a wild-card loss at Detroit. His first full team practice with 11-on-11 drills was Sunday, and playing him even limited reps was never part of the Rams’ plan, McVay said.
“He’s doing a great job,” McVay said of Donald. “I think he’ll be ready to go sooner rather than later, but we’re making a decision that we think is best for him and for our team.”
A three-time NFL Defensive player of the Year, Donald worked on a side field after making his return official on Aug. 30. A Pro Bowl selection in all 10 of his seasons and a first-team All-Pro in eight, the 35-year-old admitted on Monday that he wasn’t where he “wanted to be” physically but knows his current level of play is still “pretty damn good.”
Garrett, 30, led the NFL in sacks (23) to set the single-season record in 2025 before he was acquired from the Cleveland Browns. In the Rams’ defensive scheme, Garrett will align at outside linebacker opposite Byron Young. Young had 12.0 sacks last season.
“His impact has been tremendous,” McVay said.
–Field Level Media
