For the last couple of years, Aaron Donald had been a memory for Rams fans.
Images of him pointing at his ring finger after leading the Rams to the Super Bowl, showcasing his three NFL Defensive Player of the Year trophies, giving an emotional speech at the victory parade, and embracing teammates while tears welled in his eyes as confetti rained down from above lingered in their minds.
Well, on Monday night, all those memories came rushing back as he emerged from the tunnel at a packed SoFi Stadium.
Donald chose the Rams’ real home opener against the New York Giants to announce the end of his almost three-year retirement, skipping the Week 1 match in Australia to make his return on Monday Night Football’s grand stage instead.
As he ran out onto the field, he was the final player announced, met with roaring applause from the 73,773 fans. No. 99 jerseys filled the stands, and many fans held up signs exclaiming, “The beast is back!” Chants of “AD! AD!” echoed around the stadium. It was hard not to feel the buzz in the air.
Matthew Stafford, the team’s MVP and starting quarterback, shared his own excitement. “I was so juiced,” he said. “When he came running out of the tunnel, I couldn’t control myself. I was freaking hyped.”
Donald felt the energy, too. “I jumped around more than usual,” he said, laughing. “I was hyped up. It felt good.”
With the energy high, Donald faced the challenge of getting back into the groove of playing football again.
To be honest, he wasn’t quite the force he used to be – the one Rams fans knew from the past. However, expecting the 35-year-old to dominate immediately, throwing around 300-pound offensive linemen like they were nothing, might have been a bit unrealistic.
There were signs of rust, and he faced double teams. There were moments when he seemed a step slower than in his prime, when he could burst into the backfield effortlessly.
But, there were also many positives to take away. Donald played over 30 snaps, recorded three tackles, and played a crucial role in helping the Rams’ defense stifle the Giants, leading to a 28-6 win. When the Rams needed a key stop, the veteran showed up. After a fumble from Kyren Williams put the Giants in scoring position, Donald burst through and stopped Najee Harris on a critical third-and-2 play, forcing the Giants to settle for a field goal.
“I wish I could’ve slammed him,” Donald joked afterward. “But hey, it’s my first game back. We’ll get there.”
That was such an Aaron Donald thing to say.
Three tackles? Not enough. Preventing four points? Still not enough. Even after being away for nearly 1,000 days, he was already frustrated he didn’t make a bigger impact on that play.
His presence mattered in other ways, too. The Rams had struggled to sack the quarterback in their season opener against San Francisco but managed to get two against New York. With the Giants focusing on Donald, that opened up opportunities for Byron Young on the edge. This pressure allowed the secondary to be more aggressive, leading to an interception by Trent McDuffie.
“We need to give you more time to reach the passer,” McDuffie commented about the dynamic between the secondary and the defensive line. “And if you get back there, it gives us a better shot.”
This is part of what the numbers can’t always show when it comes to Donald’s impact.
Donald revealed he came back partly due to the chance to play alongside Myles Garrett, which would make it harder for offenses to concentrate all their efforts on him. However, even with Garrett watching from a suite, double teams returned the moment Donald stepped back on the field.
With Garrett on the injured list for at least four weeks, the real question is whether Donald can handle those double teams again and pressure the quarterback effectively.
It’s too soon to make any declarations based on one game. He isn’t the 27-year-old who racked up 20.5 sacks in 2018 anymore. But the Rams don’t necessarily need that version of Donald now. They need the experienced player who can create opportunities for teammates and tap into his former self when it counts most.
On that Monday night, with two yards to go for the Giants, he certainly delivered.
After the game, Donald noted he heard the cheers from the crowd. “I felt the love,” he said. “Definitely.”
The support was undeniable.
But whether he can still compete at an elite level is another story.
One game won’t solve that debate. Three tackles and no sacks won’t haunt offensive coordinators in their nightmares. But for one night, the Rams didn’t need the Aaron Donald from 2018, or even the guy who raised the Lombardi Trophy just four years ago.
What they needed was No. 99 on the field when the Giants were just short of the end zone, and he made sure they didn’t succeed.
The beast might not be fully back yet, but he’s definitely still lurking, ready to unleash his potential.
