Never Thought He'd Do It": 49ers GM Stunned by Aaron Donald's Return to Rams Before Week 1 Clash in Australia — Yahoo Sports

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 13: Former Los Angeles Rams Aaron Donald during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams on January 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA JAN 13 NFC Wild Card Playoffs – Vikings at Rams EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon202501130162 ©IMAGO/Icon Sportswire

The 49ers thought they knew what they were walking into in Week 1 against the Rams. Then Aaron Donald came back from retirement after 898 days on a one-year deal, and suddenly San Francisco’s trip to Melbourne got a lot nastier. The comeback was so unexpected that even 49ers GM John Lynch admitted he never saw it coming.

“I mean, the guy is different, right?” Lynch told the media as he and Kyle Shanahan discussed the 49ers’ initial roster ahead of the trip to Australia. “He’s an exceptional player. One of the greats. I do subscribe to that. I think we’re pretty good, too. They got better, certainly, with him deciding to come out of retirement. Now, there’s time away. But I know that guy trains like a madman.

“I ran into him in a hotel somewhere a while back, and we had some fun chatter back and forth. Never thought he’d do it, but he’s doing it. So, we’d better get ready for it.”

The fact is, the Rams were already loaded on defense before Aaron Donald came back.

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Myles Garrett and Kobie Turner were already on the roster, giving Los Angeles serious pass-rush talent without Donald even taking a snap. The Rams also went 3-0 in preseason, beating the Chiefs 20-12, shutting out the Saints 34-0, and edging the Chargers 20-18.

Now they are adding Donald, one of the most dominant defensive tackles ever, to a defense that was already strong.

You see, Donald retired in 2024 because of burnout, saying he no longer had the energy or passion for another full season. After 10 dominant years, he had little left to prove. He walked away with 111 sacks, 543 tackles, three Defensive Player of the Year awards and a Super Bowl LVI ring.

Donald was enjoying life with his family, but the Myles Garrett trade helped make a comeback too tempting to ignore.

With Donald now joining Garrett, the Rams suddenly have five combined Defensive Player of the Year awards between them. That pairing alone was enough for Rams legend Torry Holt to send a warning to the rest of the league .

Donald is a problem for the 49ers. He has 12.5 career sacks against San Francisco, tied for the most ever against the franchise. The only relief? The Rams still have not confirmed him for Week 1.

“I’m not going to talk about any sort of plans,” Rams head coach Sean McVay told the media after Sunday’s practice. “It’s going to be a day at a time for us. What does that mean for Australia?”

“The first step was, all right, if you’re coming back, let’s do that. Let’s get you on the practice field. Let’s get you acclimated to your teammates, to your coaches. And then we’ll see what that ramp-up period looks like, whether or not he’s available or whether or not we think it’s best to be able to play him in Australia. I think the best way to do it is to take it one day at a time. But we’re obviously excited to be able to have him back.”

Donald is back on a one-year, $20 million deal that can reach $30 million with incentives, but the bigger question is how much of the old Donald is still there. At 35, he has not played an NFL snap since 2023, even if his workout videos suggest he has stayed in shape.

And San Francisco, on the other hand, has veteran help of its own with Nick Bosa returning to lead the front and offseason addition Osa Odighizuwa strengthening the defensive line.

The Niners are in for a challenge in the Week 1 game. Only time will tell if they’re ready to face Donald and Garrett on defense.