Aaron Donald is back in the NFL after more than two years away, with the 35-year-old returning to the Los Angeles Rams for another shot at a Super Bowl.

But Rob Gronkowski, the former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end, expects Donald to play well, even if he is no longer the same player he was at his peak.

“He’s not going to be that dominant, but he’s going to be pretty dominant still,” Gronkowski said on September 3.

Donald made the decision after weeks of discussions and nearly three months of workouts. He joined the Rams for a light practice on Sunday, where he caught up with former and new teammates, including Myles Garrett.

“He’s definitely going to be playing at a high level. We may not see the Aaron Donald that was playing five, six years ago in his prime because now he’s two years older,” Gronkowski said on Up & Adams Show on September 3.

Donald spent his entire 10-year career with the Rams, winning three AP Defensive Player of the Year awards and earning 10 Pro Bowl and eight All-Pro selections. He also won a Super Bowl before retiring after the 2023 season.

His return comes after Los Angeles added Garrett this offseason, creating the possibility of the two defensive stars sharing the field, according to the Associated Press.

“It doesn’t really matter what age he is, how many years he took off, because he’s been training like an absolute savage the last two years. He has stayed football-ready,” Gronkowski added.

Donald's one-year deal is reportedly worth at least $20 million with incentives.

With Donald back in the fold, the focus now turns to whether he will be ready to play when the Rams open their season in Australia.

Is Aaron Donald ready to return?

Head Coach Sean McVay stated that Aaron Donald is expected to travel to Australia with the Rams, but the team will take more time to decide if he is ready to play.

Aaron Donald is set to travel to Australia with the Los Angeles Rams, but Sean McVay is still leaving the door open on whether the veteran will play in the season opener.

“Obviously, one of the best things you can do is get out there and play football in 11-on-11 settings with pads, your eye progression, taking on some of the double-teams, different things like that,” HC Sean McVay said, according to Pro Football Rumors.

The Rams had considered keeping Donald at home, but the plan now is for the entire team to make the trip to Melbourne.

“So this week will be a big week for him in terms of how he feels, and then we’ll just kind of take it a day at a time and see where he’s at,” McVay added.

Donald has been working his way back since ending his retirement, with the team managing his workload along the way.

The Rams will now use the week to see whether Donald is ready for his first game since retiring in 2024.

Written by

Debanjali Rakshit

Edited by

Debanjali Rakshit