Defensive lineman Aaron Donald will not travel with the Rams to Melbourne to play in their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, coach Sean McVay said Tuesday.
Donald, who rejoined the Rams last month after a two-year retirement, wouldn’t confirm if he was planning to play in the season opener when asked multiple times by reporters on Monday, only saying he was “feeling really good. Feeling great.”
The development isn’t surprising considering McVay and his assistants weren’t pushing Donald to play. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said Monday that the team was taking a “day-to-day” approach regarding Donald’s status.
“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,” McVay said. “He’s attacked this the right way, but it would have been a really quick turnaround.”
One person who might be surprised about Donald not playing is 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. He told reporters Sunday he “definitely” expected Donald to play.
Rams players and staff are scheduled to leave Los Angeles for Melbourne on Tuesday night, arriving in Australia on Thursday morning. The game will take place on Friday at 10:35 a.m. local time (5:35 p.m. PDT Thursday), with the Rams planning to fly back to L.A. soon afterward.
Barring any setback, Donald should play Sept. 21 when the Rams face the New York Giants at SoFi Stadium.
One player who is expected to take the field at Melbourne Cricket Ground is Myles Garrett. McVay said the star defensive end will be “ready to go” after a left knee problem kept him out of practice for multiple weeks before he returned Sunday.
“We’ve been smart with Myles … but his impact has been tremendous, his overall vibe, what kind of teammate he’s been,” McVay said. “And so looking forward to getting him out there with the guys and being a great factor for us.”
Garrett did not practice Tuesday, but said he feels “ready” to play.
In addition to Garrett, cornerback Jaylen Watson also appeared on the Rams’ first injury report of the season after not practicing because of a toe injury.
Former Chargers coach Brandon Staley and former Atlanta coach Raheem Morris — now defensive coordinators with New Orleans and San Francisco, respectively — also parlayed stints with McVay into head coaching opportunities.
“The development of the coaches who have worked for him — that’s not an accident,” O’Connell said. “That is something he’s purposeful about, and that he genuinely does care about.”
As always, McVay is quick to acknowledge the early NFL opportunities he was afforded and the lessons learned from his grandfather, John McVay, and the Gruden and Shanahan families.
“What I would hope is that the most helpful thing for them is that they get exposed to everything,” McVay said of helping assistants become head coaches. “Because I try to be as inclusive as possible, so when they get that role, they’ve kind of been in a lot of those scenarios already because they’re helping me navigate those things.”
Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur, right, hugs Rams coach Sean McVay following a game at Lambeau Field in November 2023.
(Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)
“That was a huge learning experience for me, just being so close to Sean and seeing all the stuff he had to deal with.”
— Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers coach, on the influence Sean McVay had on igniting his head coaching career
Matt LaFleur said he knew McVay would become an NFL head coach within 10 minutes of McVay interviewing for a quality control job with Washington in 2010.
Seven years later, after the Rams made the then-30-year-old McVay the youngest head coach in modern NFL history, McVay hired LaFleur as offensive coordinator. To that point, LaFleur said, becoming an NFL head coach himself was not at the forefront of his mind.
“It wasn’t until I was with Sean and you got kind of a front-row seat,” LaFleur said. “That was a huge learning experience for me, just being so close to Sean and seeing all the stuff he had to deal with. That’s where it kind of intrigued me and piqued my interest.”
After the 2017 season, and the Rams’ first playoff appearance since 2004, LaFleur interviewed to become the Tennessee Titans’ head coach. The Titans ultimately hired him as offensive coordinator and playcaller.
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In 2019, the Packers hired LaFleur as head coach, and he has since guided teams to five playoff appearances and two NFC championship games.
Taylor also was a member of the Rams’ 2017 staff as an assistant receivers coach. The next season, he coached quarterbacks.
McVay empowers all coaches, said Taylor, who had previous experience as a coordinator. Taylor’s initial role with the Rams was a step back, but McVay and other staff members did not make it feel like one.
A month after the Packers hired LaFleur, the Bengals hired Taylor. Two years later, Taylor guided his team to a matchup against the Rams in Super Bowl LVI.
“Sean just shows you this is the model you can follow that works well,” Taylor said. “You take it to your own place, you tweak it. And certainly, over eight years, tweaked it drastically. … But I think there’s just belief when you work there, that this is something you can model off of and win championships with.”
The Chargers hired Staley after the 2020 season. The Chargers requested to interview O’Connell to become offensive coordinator and playcaller, but McVay blocked it, citing it as a lateral move.
“He had different plans,” O’Connell said, “and he’s entitled to do that. But he followed that up with: ‘We’re going to go get Matthew Stafford, we’re going to win a Super Bowl, and you’re going to become a head coach.’
“When all three of those things became true a little over a year later — I love him to death, and I would love to not give him that kind of credit. But I absolutely need to.”
The Vikings hired O’Connell after McVay led the Rams to their Super Bowl victory.
Rams coach Sean McVay, left, and Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell greet one another after a game at SoFi Stadium in October 2024.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
“There were countless times where he brought me into his office for circumstances that went beyond the role of a coordinator — to really pull back the curtain and let me understand,” O’Connell said, adding, “He wanted to help my development, and that’s something I’ve now taken very seriously with some of the coaches who have coached for me.”
Coen joined the Rams’ staff in 2018 as an assistant wide receivers coach. He left in 2021 to become Kentucky’s offensive coordinator, but returned to the Rams in 2022 as offensive coordinator.
The Rams suffered the worst Super Bowl hangover in NFL history, and Coen returned to Kentucky before becoming the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. The Jaguars hired him in January 2025.
Coen said the lessons he learned from McVay in 2022, when injuries decimated the Rams’ roster, were among the most valuable.
“He challenges every aspect of who you are as a coach,” Coen said.
Coen and McVay talked for close to three hours in the days after the Rams sent the Jaguars to a loss that dropped their record to 4-3. Coen then led his team to nine victories in their last 10 games en route to the playoffs.
“He mentioned something like, ‘Look, you can get frustrated with jersey number X or Y, but we still need to love the name on the back,’” Coen said. “And that was helpful for me because sometimes you can get caught up in the assignment and the execution that you forget, ‘Man, like I really care about that player. His last name, that means something to me as a coach,’ and to lean into that and to make sure that when you come in the building every day and your players come in the building every day, they genuinely want to be there.”
Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen stands on the sideline during a preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 28.
(Parker S. Freedman / Getty Images)
The Falcons hired Morris in 2024, and the Cardinals last February made Mike LaFleur, Matt’s younger brother, a head coach for the first time.
During three seasons as the Rams’ offensive coordinator, Mike LaFleur said McVay established strong foundations but also used his tireless energy to encourage assistants to tear down tried-and-true concepts and build them back, sparking innovation.
“It’s long, it’s tiring, but it’s necessary,” LaFleur said, adding that lessons learned from McVay have served him and others well.
”You look at Kevin [O’Connell], you look at my brother, I do think you just kind of naturally take that with you.
“And in my opinion, it just gives you a leg up.”
McVay laments, usually lightheartedly, the loss of staff members that have ascended to become head coaches.
But said he was grateful for the opportunity to help them achieve their goals.
And there is an added benefit.
“What I think has been really cool is that if you are fortunate to see guys go on and do well, it attracts really high-level coaches as well,” McVay said. “When you show that you’re willing to invest in people, there’s really good coaches that become available on a year-to-year basis.”
First-year offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, a Rams assistant since 2024, appears on track to be the next head coach from McVay’s staff. During the offseason, several teams interviewed Scheelhaase for head coaching vacancies.
If this season plays out as anticipated — the Rams are favorites to win the Super Bowl — McVay’s tree likely will have another branch.
Staff writer Sam Farmer contributed to this story.
Will star defensive lineman Aaron Donald be with them?
“Feeling good, feeling really good,” Donald said Monday. “Come up with a game plan and see.”
But could he say for certain he will make the trip?
“I’m feeling really good. Feeling great,” he said. “Come up with a game plan and see what’s going on but I’m telling ya, I feel great.”
Donald, 35, returned from a two-year retirement to join a Rams team that is favored to win Super Bowl LXI. But the three-time NFL defensive player of the year has gone through only one 11-on-11 practice.
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He did that on Sunday, but did not practice Monday. Donald said he did a cardio workout as part of a scheduled day off.
“I’m 35,” he said, chuckling. “You don’t play football in two years, you got to be smart. Even if I feel good, you still gotta be smart.”
Coach Sean McVay has said that Donald’s situation would be evaluated daily.
Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, asked if a decision had been made regarding whether Donald would play against the 49ers, said “everything’s” day by day.
“We’re ready for him if he does, ready for him if he doesn’t,” Shula said, “and we’ll have a plan for however many plays he feels like he can go and we’ll go from there.”
Donald said his ramp-up has gone better than he anticipated.
“Thought I’d be a lot more rusty,” he said, adding that things were “clicking.”
Donald said that during his first full practice, he settled in after a few plays. He is not where he wants to be, “but pretty pretty damn good, if you ask me, to not play football in two years to be moving how I’m moving.”
Donald came back, in part, to team with edge rusher Myles Garrett, a two-time NFL defensive player of the year. They have been in meetings and walkthroughs together, and now have practiced.
“It was good to be on the grass with him and do some stuff, and get a feel,” Donald said. “Because the chemistry of playing with each other, kind of learning how each other rush, how each other play, not just Myles just the whole front. … It’s exciting.”
Donald said he was ready for whatever role he fills, and that he was not going to worry about playing 60 or 70 snaps.
“There’s no pressure on me. I can just go out there play free, play ball, let the game come to me,” Donald said. “Play with the guys around me. Help them, they help me.”
Donald, an eight-time All-Pro, has 111 career sacks.
Star receiver Davante Adams is happy that he returned to join the Rams.
“Nobody knows exactly what he’s going to do statistically, if he’s going to be exactly what he was,” Adams said. “But … I know the type of person that he is and I know the way he’s going to work and I know the way he looks right now.
“It looks like it’s going to be a familiar picture for us all out there.”
Puka Nacua ready for opener
Star receiver Puka Nacua said he was happy to be participating in full-team drills after being sidelined for a few weeks because of a psoas injury sustained during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys a few days after the end of training camp.
The NFL has been investigating an incident that led to Nacua being the defendant in a civil lawsuit. If the league determines that Nacua violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, he could be suspended.
But the league has not taken action, and McVay said he expected Nacua to play against the 49ers.
Did the possibility of a suspension before the season weigh heavily on Nacua?
“Definitely feeling emotion of some of the things that, just trying to handle that in the ways that I can and what’s in my control,” he said. “But also having a realistic understanding of the consequences of some of the things that I put myself in this offseason.
“But I feel like I’ve been able to feel grounded and feel present when I step out there on the football field. That’s been one of the positive things, of every time I step on that football field, never taking that moment for granted.”
After a series of head-turning trades, signings and one legendary player’s return from retirement, the Rams and 10th-year coach Sean McVay are well beyond all-in.
On paper, the star-studded offense is seemingly invincible, the reconstructed defense inarguably impenetrable.
“It gets down to: how do we come together as a team,” McVay said. “But it’s hard to say top to bottom that the collection of individuals is not very special.”
The Rams are an overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.
It’s Super Bowl or bust. Again.
McVay said at the outset of training camp that the season would not be considered a success or a failure by whether the Rams win the Super Bowl.
Tell that to Rams fans.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford is the reigning NFL most valuable player — and shows no sign of slippage as he enters his 18th NFL season.
Receiver Puka Nacua led the league in receptions last season, and future Hall of Famer Davante Adams led the league in touchdown catches.
After their secondary was exposed in an NFC championship game defeat by the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams traded for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. They signed cornerback Jaylen Watson, McDuffie’s former Kansas City Chiefs teammate. And then general manager Les Snead pulled off another stunning deal for defensive end Myles Garrett, a two-time NFL defensive player of the year.
And that was before Aaron Donald, a three-time defensive player of the year, ended a two-year retirement to join a team about to embark on a boom-or-bust season.
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Defensive lineman Aaron Donald has come out of retirement to join the Rams’ Super Bowl title push.
“You know all these other teams probably hate us,” Rams safety Quentin Lake said, chuckling. “They think we’re like the new Dodgers or something like that.”
Defensive line coach Giff Smith described the acquisition of Garrett, who amassed an NFL-season record 23 sacks last season, as “a grand slam.”
So what could possibly go wrong?
Nacua and left tackle Alaric Jackson are under investigation by the NFL regarding separate off-the-field incidents. If the league determines they violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, they could be suspended.
The offensive line is experienced but short on quality depth at tackle. If Jackson is injured or suspended, Stafford is at more risk of injury.
Garrett sat out most of training camp and preseason practices because of a knee issue. Donald has not played a snap in two years.
Kicker Harrison Mevis came on last season and solidified a suspect field-goal unit, but it remains to be seen whether new coordinator Bubba Ventrone turns special teams from a liability into a strength.
Regardless, the Rams are built to win another title on their home turf.
“It’s special to be part of a team that can truly go all-in and bring in some new firepower to help us be able to reach the goals that we have in store for ourselves,” defensive lineman Kobie Turner said.
The Rams open the season this week against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia. The 49ers traveled there last week. The Rams are scheduled to depart Tuesday evening, arrive Thursday morning and play on Friday.
Unlike after other previous international trips, there will be no off week before the Rams play their home opener against the New York Giants. Then it’s consecutive road games against the Denver Broncos and the Philadelphia Eagles before a home game against the Buffalo Bills.
Rams defensive end Myles Garrett smiles during training camp in July.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Rams then host the Arizona Cardinals before playing three of the next four games on the road at Las Vegas, Washington and Arizona.
It doesn’t get easier after a shortened bye week. The Rams play the Green Bay Packers the night before Thanksgiving. Then it’s a home game against the Chiefs, a trip to Santa Clara to play the 49ers, and a home game against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Rams play the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks twice in the final three weeks, with a game at Tampa Bay sandwiched in between.
After all the buildup, the Rams are ready to embark on their quest.
They plan to finish it by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at SoFi Stadium.
“It’s our time,” Turner said, “to go and make those dreams a reality.”
The San Francisco 49ers already are on the ground in Melbourne, Australia.
Both teams are preparing for their Sept. 10 opener at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Rams will depart late Tuesday night, arrive in Melbourne about 16 hours later on Thursday and play Friday (5:30 p.m. PDT Thursday).
Rams coach Sean McVay is aware that if his Super Bowl-favorite team plays well and wins, his travel strategy will be hailed as smart. If the Rams lose, it could be ridiculed.
McVay said Friday that the postgame review will be “circumstantial based on what happens,” and that the Rams make decisions based on what they feel is in the best interest of the players.
“I understand the narratives,” McVay said, adding, “That’s just part of the nature, but what you have to do is be able to separate the actual result for what is actually sound in terms of your process.
“I’m comfortable with that. That’s the world that we live in. … That’s kind of the price of doing business.”
The Rams employed a similar travel strategy last season, when they remained in Baltimore after playing the Ravens, and then traveled to London to play the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Rams arrived the day before the game, and then routed the Jaguars.
The flight to Australia is much longer, but McVay said that “staying in our rhythm and routine” was deemed best by a collective that includes Reggie Scott, the Rams’ senior vice-president for sports medicine and performance.
“The thinking in its simplest form is what do we deem the best for our football players and for them to try and be at their best,” McVay said. “There’s different approaches and theories, but I do have a lot of trust in our group and we’ll see. Hopefully, it works out.”
This will be the first NFL game in Australia, a potential boon for a league eager to expand its global footprint.
“What we try to do is focus on the things we can control,” McVay said, “and then just really abide by clear parameters that guys can follow so that it’s seamless and then they feel as fresh as possible.
“Easier said than done. But when you have the right people, it’s served us well over the years.”
Aaron Donald’s status undecided
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald walks on the practice field on Aug. 30.
(Greg Beacham / Associated Press)
Aaron Donald rejoined the Rams last week, but the three-time NFL defensive player of the year, who retired in 2023, has yet to go through a full 11-on-11 practice.
Can he play against the 49ers?
“Don’t have that sense quite yet,” McVay said, adding, “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.
“If he feels good enough to go — great. If not, I’ve got a lot of confidence in the other guys that will be ready to step up if that’s the case.”
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Future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Aaron Donald officially came out of retirement Sunday to rejoin the Rams for their Super Bowl title push.
Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford and Tyler Davis are among the interior linemen who have taken reps since training camp began in July.
Last Sunday, after agreeing to terms with the Rams, Donald said he did not want to be given anything — he wanted to earn his role.
“Ain’t rushing,” he said of his timeline, adding, “Just continue to stack them days and see where we at.”
Donald, 35, is playing on a one-year contract that includes $10 million in base salary, and per-game roster bonuses that could total $10 million, according to Overthecap.com. The deal also includes incentives that could make it worth $30 million.
With four void years added, the salary-cap hit for this season is $5.8 million and $17.9 million next season, according to the website.
Defensive end Myles Garrett, who has been sidelined for a few weeks because of a knee issue, and receiver Puka Nacua (groin) are “making really good progress,” McVay said.
On the Rams’ depth chart, Stetson Bennett is listed as quarterback Matthew Stafford’s backup with rookie Ty Simpson third.
“I look at it as a 2a, 2b,” McVay said. “We’ll see how we approach the game.”
Rams owner Stan Kroenke holds up the Lombardi Trophy after his team beat the Bengals to win the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in 2022.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
This is huge. This is landscape altering. This is like Southern California just added an expansion team led by one of the best owners in sports.
For the Angels, currently the second-worst team in baseball and on track to finish a league-worst 12th consecutive season out of the playoffs, this is downright life changing.
Kroenke builds. Kroenke spends. Kroenke wins.
The sale is not expected to close until early 2027, so change will come slowly, but buckle up, because a bumps-be-damned renovation is coming.
First, the Angels are getting a new stadium. Kroenke hasn’t confirmed it, but it’s surely happening. He’s a real estate guy at heart who loves turning empty lots into palaces and that’s what he’ll do in Anaheim.
You think SoFi is nice? Here’s guessing the new Angels stadium will be nicer, and surrounded by the sort of commercial baseball village sprouting up all over the major leagues. The stadium and its environs will offer everything the Dodgers can’t, and may just steal a few fans in the process.
Second, the Angels are getting new swashbuckling leadership. Don’t know who, but expect the new general manager to be the kind of leader who will boldly sacrifice the future to win now, because that’s what Kroenke does, he wins now. Think baseball’s version of Les Snead.
Third, the Angels are getting one of the game’s bright young managers. Don’t know who, but he will be a guy who’s big on analytics and even bigger on the human touch, and he’ll probably be very young and very anonymous and eventually very successful. Think baseball’s version of Sean McVay.
The overall theme of Kroenke’s leadership will be championship or bust. He hates finishing second, and has left no stone unturned in giving the Rams every opportunity to succeed.
When he brought the Rams back to Los Angeles in 2016, he gave the team all of 13 games before firing then-coach Jeff Fisher after going 4-9. Soon thereafter he made 30-year-old McVay the youngest coach in NFL history and they’ve since become arguably the most admired franchise in the NFL.
Kroenke wins both on the field and in the community. His entire operation, which also owns the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, the Colorado Rapids of MLS and Arsenal of the Premier League, is led by Kevin Demoff, a lifelong Angeleno who understands and works the local market as well as any sports executive ever. The community has become saturated with Rams, and the same will be happening with the Angels as they increase their reach into Los Angeles County, something Moreno tried but could never pull off.
The name will remain the Los Angeles Angels, not because Kroenke doesn’t like Anaheim, but because he knows his investment must expand out of Orange County to eventually reap rewards.
“The Angels are a storied franchise anchored in a great market,” Kroenke said in a statement. “We look forward to an exciting future with the Angels organization.”
Storied. Anchored. Exciting. Those are words you rarely heard about the Angels under Moreno, whose 23-year stewardship began with a cheer and ended with a whimper.
Angels owner Arte Moreno has agreed to sell the team to Rams owner Stan Kroenke.
(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
Remember how, in his first news conference after buying the team from Disney, he lowered beer prices? He was fun, he was innovative and he was the first Latino majority owner in major American team sports. It was all so cool, and the team responded with five American League West titles and two appearances in the American League Championship Series.
Donald, a future Hall of Famer two years into retirement, noticed.
His thought: “OK, I wish I was still out there playing right about now.”
On Sunday, there he was.
Hours after ending months of speculation that kept the NFL world at rapt attention, Donald, 35, agreed to terms with the Rams, donned his No. 99 jersey and practiced with the team for the first time since 2023.
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Future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Aaron Donald officially came out of retirement Sunday to rejoin the Rams for their Super Bowl title push.
“Do I feel like I can play at a high level? Yes,” Donald said after the workout. “Do I feel like I can still be myself? 100%.
“If I didn’t feel like that I wouldn’t be here.”
Rams coach Sean McVay is happy to have him. Since the Rams traded for star defensive end Myles Garrett in June, McVay had said he would welcome Donald’s return — and subsequently stressed that any decision would be Donald’s and on the eight-time All-Pro’s timeline.
Donald said that he and McVay communicated “damn near every day” as he worked out and pondered his decision.
“He and I both had kind of an unspoken understanding, like, ‘All right, once we get the roster down, where are you at with it?’” McVay said. “We wanted to make sure he felt good about doing that.
“When he does something, he does it all-in. And that’s kind of what led to getting it done.”
When he retired, Donald had $30 million left on his contract. Under the new agreement, he can earn $20 million during the regular season on a one-year deal that could be worth as much as $30 million, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person requested anonymity because the contract had not yet posted.
On Sunday, Donald went through individual drills with defensive linemen, and then headed to the training room. McVay indicated the Rams would handle Donald’s ramp-up conservatively as they prepare for their Sept. 10 opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.
“Whether or not he’s available and 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,” McVay said.
That is how Donald approached it during what he said was a 13-week decision process. He worked out in the gym, did speed and agility workouts on the field and also did sessions of football drills.
Donald recorded every workout. Every movement and every cut, to see how he stacked up against his earlier self, the one who won three NFL defensive player of the year awards.
“In my opinion, I don’t see no difference,” he said. “If not, it looked a little cleaner to me.”
Still, Donald said “it really wasn’t an easy decision.” That it was “on and off for a while.” But after many conversations with his wife, Erica, and others, he said he knew for the last two weeks that he wanted to return.
Aaron Donald reacts after tackling Cleveland running back Jerome Ford during a game at SoFi Stadium in December 2023.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
It initially felt “weird” to arrive at the Rams’ Woodland Hills facility as a player rather than a visitor, he said, but he quickly acclimated after sitting through an 80-minute team meeting, getting to know new teammates and walking onto the field for practice.
Before the Rams went through stretching exercises, Donald sat on a red exercise ball, taking in the scene and focusing his thoughts for the workout ahead.
Though teammates insisted that he go first, he put himself at the back of the lines.
“Whatever my role is, I’m going to earn it,” he said.
Donald, who helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium at the end of the 2021 season, aims to help the Rams win another championship at SoFi Stadium this season.
The Rams piqued his interest when they traded for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, and then dealt edge rusher Jared Verse to the Cleveland Browns for Garrett.
“I already thought it was a stacked D-line with Verse,” Donald said. “Obviously, things transpired and happened, and then you bring in a guy like Myles Garrett, a generational talent, and it’s like, ‘That could be fun.’”
Donald said that before seeing him on Sunday, he had texted several times with Garrett.
“Hopefully,” Donald said, “we can do some special things together.”
The Rams went into training camp with a roster jammed with stars and other notable players.
So for an undrafted player to make the team’s initial 53-man roster was among the most unlikely scenarios in the NFL.
And that was before future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Aaron Donald announced Sunday that he was ending a two-year retirement to rejoin a team favored to win the Super Bowl.
But outside linebacker Wesley Bailey, an undrafted free agent who played at Rutgers and Louisville, beat the odds. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Bailey impressed during preseason games against the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints before playing only a few snaps against the Chargers, an indication that coach Sean McVay was going to keep him.
The Rams waived or terminated the contracts of 34 players, including defensive lineman Tim Keenan III, a seventh-round draft pick. If they clear waivers, many are expected to be signed to the 16-player practice squad.
The Rams moved to get something for at least one player they feared would not clear waivers, trading tight end Mark Redman to the Green Bay Packers for a 2028 seventh-round draft pick.
They also placed offensive linemen Justin Dedich and Keagen Trost on injured reserve, along with quarterback Matthew Caldwell.
The Rams, led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, the reigning NFL most valuable player, open the season on Sept. 10 against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.
Star receiver Puka Nacua and starting left tackle Alaric Jackson are the subjects of continuing investigations by the NFL related to separate off-the-field incidents. If the league determines that they violated the league’s personal-conduct policy, they could be suspended.
Barring change, the Rams will travel to Australia with a roster top-heavy with tight ends, receivers and outside linebackers and — because of players’ versatility — minimal numbers at cornerback.
McVay’s incorporation of three tight-end sets into the offense last season paved the way for the Rams to carry five tight ends: Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, Terrance Ferguson and rookie Max Klare. Ferguson’s skill set ostensibly makes him an option as a third receiver behind stars Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
The Rams’ trade last week for veteran Tutu Atwell, in a deal that sent running back Jarquez Hunter to the Miami Dolphins, gives them seven receivers.
Bailey is part of an outside linebacker group that includes Myles Garrett, Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart and Desjuan Johnson.
Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Josh Wallace are the cornerbacks. The Rams kept only four in part because safety Quentin Lake plays as a hybrid slot corner/inside linebacker, and Wallace can play safety.
Dedich and Trost must sit out four games. The nine offensive linemen on the roster are starting center Coleman Shelton, guards Kevin Dotson and Steve Avila and tackles Jackson and Warren McClendon Jr., along with reserves David Quessenberry, Beaux Limmer, Bill Murray and Dylan McMahon.
On the first night of training camp, the Rams’ defensive line coach sat down with each of his charges individually and, among other topics, talked about Aaron Donald.
From the moment the Rams traded for end Myles Garrett, a two-time NFL defensive player of the year, the talk of the offseason was that Donald, a three-time defensive player of the year, might come out of retirement and join a Rams team favored to win the Super Bowl.
The Rams of course would welcome the return of the future Hall of Famer. But if it happens, it also could have ramifications for other players’ playing time and, possibly, future contracts.
So Smith welcomed players’ questions.
“I’m a very open and honest guy,” Smith said, “and they deserve the respect to be able to voice whatever concerns or answers they’re looking for.
“And the answers I have, I give. The ones I don’t, I don’t. But let’s clear the air. What’s your concerns? Let’s get some clarity and make sure we’re on the same page.”
As the Rams worked to trim their roster to 53 players by Sunday’s NFL deadline, they still were waiting on Donald’s decision.
Coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead have said Donald can take all the time he needs. And McVay indicated it would not be problematic if Donald decides after the initial roster is set.
“Whenever a decision is made, if that is the direction that he goes where he wants to play, then we have plans accordingly,” McVay said.
Defensive lineman Kobie Turner, a team captain, is in a contract year. Ostensibly, the attention teams would devote to Garrett and Donald might provide Turner with more opportunities for splash plays.
But Donald’s playing time and contract — whether it be for the $30 million he was owed had he not retired, or a more cap-friendly, incentive-laden deal possibly coupled with other contract restructures — could affect the Rams’ ability and timing to extend Turner and other members of the 2023 draft class.
Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner stands on the field during a win over the Detroit Lions in December.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Turner played with Donald as a rookie in 2023 and soaked up as much as he could from the eight-time All-Pro before ascending to become a team leader.
Throughout the Rams’ wait on Donald, Turner said it has been “cool” to continue building culture and cohesiveness among the defensive front.
“And then knowing if Aaron does take the opportunity to come back, then he’s just going to be able to add to our group,” Turner said.
Braden Fiske, a third-year pro whose playing time also could be affected if Donald returns, echoed Turner. The opportunity to play with Donald and Garrett, who have a combined 236½ sacks, would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Fiske said.
“That’s Hall of Fame talent,” he said. “It’s not every day you get to play next to one, let alone two. So just the opportunity to learn and grow from whatever [Donald’s] able to bring to the table would be awesome.”
Fiske got an up-close look when he went through a speed and agility workout with Donald.
“Clearly, he hasn’t lost much of a step,” Fiske said, laughing.
Smith noted the same after watching Donald go through an on-field workout during training camp. Because Smith and team trainers were present, the session was listed as a “tryout” on the NFL’s transaction wire.
Donald’s natural ability, his attention to detail and fundamental technique remain “off the charts,” Smith said.
“Like I told him, ‘Selfishly, I want you back. I mean want to coach you, the all-time greatest one,’” Smith said. “But he’s going to make the right decision when the time’s right. And I’m all in with AD on whatever.
“If he decides to play, no doubt, he makes us better. If he doesn’t decide to play, come hang out, be a part of the family, help us get better.
McVay does not play starters or players expected to be significant backups or contributors during the preseason, especially in the final game.
Based on that, Bennett appears on track to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Matthew Stafford when the Rams play the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 10 in Melbourne, Australia.
Or does it?
“I wouldn’t look too far into what that was,” McVay said of playing Simpson. “It was just continuing to get him experience.
“We’ve got three quarterbacks on our roster. Obviously, we’ve got the reigning MVP of the league and we’ve got two guys that we feel really good about. And if you say, ‘Hey, what does that really mean?’ That’s what it means, that we feel really good about those two guys.
“Not pigeonholing myself into any sort of decision other than I feel really good about Stetson Bennett, feel really good about Ty Simpson.”
Simpson, the 13th pick in the draft, completed 18 of 23 passes for 119 yards, including a second-quarter touchdown.
He faced Chargers starters during his first series, which ended with a punt.
“I was excited because it was my first time to where I was going against real guys in a real game,” Simpson said. “And it felt like I expected it to feel. Fast.”
It was Simpson’s second no-turnover performance. In the preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Simpson played all but the first two series and completed 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns.
On Thursday, his most impressive play came early in the second quarter on third-and-seven from the Chargers’ 11-yard line. Simpson escaped pressure and rolled out to his left before firing a pass to diving receiver Brennan Presley for a touchdown.
Rams quarterback Ty Simpson slides in front of Chargers linebacker Nadame Tucker during the first half Thursday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Matthew Caldwell, an undrafted free agent from Texas, started the second half and played into the fourth quarter before suffering a knee injury. He completed five of 10 passes for 31 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown pass to running back Dean Connors.
Bennett, a fourth-year pro, took the vast majority of second-team snaps during training camp and preseason practices, and took first-team reps on days Stafford was held out. Bennett played the first half against the New Orleans Saints and rushed for two touchdowns.
NFL teams must trim their rosters to 53 players by Sunday.
“We’ve got some tough decisions over the next couple days,” McVay said.
Other noteworthy items following the Rams’ victory:
Atwell isn’t a fill-in for Nacua
Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell celebrates after a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 28, 2025.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)
Running back Jarquez Hunter did not play — and was not in the building — but not because he was assured a roster spot with the Rams.
On Thursday, the Rams traded Hunter, a 2025 fourth-round draft pick, to the Miami Dolphins for receiver Tutu Atwell, who played five seasons for the Rams before signing with the Dolphins last March.
Nacua is the defendant in a civil lawsuit that alleges he made an antisemitic statement and bit a woman while riding in a vehicle. If the NFL determines that Nacua violated the league’s personal-conduct policy, he could be suspended.
Did the Rams acquire Atwell as a preemptive move in case Nacua is suspended?
“No,” McVay said. “It had nothing to do with that. It was exclusively a guy we were really familiar with that you could really get at what we felt like was good for us and good for Jarquez.”
“Tutu’s an alumni,” Rams general manager Les Snead said during an in-game television interview. “He should come back. He’s someone who knows Sean’s offense. He can come in and play all three [receiver] positions.”
Connors, who played at Murrieta Valley High and Riverside City College before finishing his college career at Rice and Houston, rushed for 69 yards in 18 carries. Jordan Waters rushed for 53 yards in 15 carries.
Still waiting on Aaron Donald
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald leaves the field after a game against the Arizona Cardinals in November 2023.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
McVay reiterated that the Rams will continue to move forward until Donald decides whether he will end a two-year retirement and re-join the team.
“It’s really one of those deals that, what we’re doing is we’re focusing on this football team,” McVay said. “Aaron knows that, ‘Hey, if he wants to be able to do that, that’s something that we absolutely want to entertain and be able to figure out, and that’s really kind of all there is to it right now.”
During a television interview during the game, Rams general manager Les Snead said Donald, a three-time NFL defensive player of the year, was still going through his process.
“Obviously, the timeline’s getting a little closer to make a decision, but the timeline’s the timeline,” Snead said. “Time will tell.”
If Donald returns, he will join a front that includes two-time defensive player of the year Myles Garrett, acquired by the Rams in a blockbuster trade. Snead said in the interview that dealing for Garrett was not part of the Rams’ plan heading into the offseason.
“Never was Myles Garrett penciled into that intent,” Snead said, “and I’ll be honest with you: Never was Aaron Donald penciled into that intent. Sometimes luck goes your way, and we’re jacked to have Myles and we’re waiting on to see what happens with Aaron.”
Defensive standouts
Rams safety Nick Andersen, center, celebrates with teammates after recovering a fumble by Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the first half Thursday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Outside linebacker Darryl Peterson III had two sacks, including one that resulted in a fumble in the final minute to preserve the victory.
Safety Nick Andersen recovered a fumble by Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
Cornerback Cam Lampkin also had a sack.
Edge rusher Wesley Bailey, who made a big impression in the first two preseason games, started against the Chargers but played only two snaps and had one quarterback pressure.
Mevis finishes perfect preseason
Mevis kicked two 27-yard field goals, making him six for six in three games.
Mevis kicked two field goals against the Chiefs and two against the Saints.
The Rams never found a way to consistently deploy speedy receiver Tutu Atwell. But they apparently can’t quit him.
On Thursday, the Rams traded second-year running back Jarquez Hunter to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Atwell, the team announced. ESPN first reported the trade.
Hunter, 24, was a 2025 fourth-round draft pick from Auburn. He played in five games as a rookie, all on special teams. On a Super Bowl-favorite team that includes Kyren Williams, Blake Corum and Ronnie Rivers, who is also a special teams ace, Hunter was not going to play unless there were a series of injuries.
Rams running back Jarquez Hunter carries the ball during a preseason win over the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 22.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Atwell, who will turn 27 in October, was selected by the Rams in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Louisville. He was sidelined much of his rookie season because of a shoulder injury, and was subsequently used sparingly the next three seasons. In 2024, he caught a career-best 42 passes for 562 yards.
Before the 2025 season, the Rams signed Atwell to a one-year, $10-million contract. But with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams getting the majority of targets, Atwell caught only six passes for 192 yards, 88 coming on a winning touchdown pass play against the Indianapolis Colts.
In March, Atwell signed a one-year, $1.4-million contract with the Dolphins, according to Sportrac.com.
Atwell joins a receiver corps that includes Nacua, Adams, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, rookie CJ Daniels and Xavier Smith, who was the punt returner last season.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — NFL rosters must be set in two weeks.
Will defensive tackle Aaron Donald decide in the days ahead if he will return to the Rams?
Rams coach Sean McVay is not putting a hard timeline on it.
“I’m hopeful that it will be sooner than later, but I also want to respect when he does feel like that clarity will come,” McVay said Saturday after the Rams’ 20-12 preseason victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. “I think there’s a chance that we’ll be closer to that than not. But again, I don’t want to say too much or put some sort of invisible deadline on something that doesn’t exist in my mind for him.”
Donald, 35, retired after the 2023 season. But after the Rams traded for two-time defensive player of the year Myles Garrett in June, Donald has contemplated rejoining a Rams team that is favored to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.
During training camp, Donald did a workout in front of defensive line coach Giff Smith and Rams trainers. In videos posted to social media, he also was captured hitting a blocking sled at UCLA, and going through speed and agility drills at the Rams’ facility in Woodland Hills.
If Donald returns, it would impact Rams roster decisions and also have possible implications for players that are in the final years of their rookie contracts and eligible for extensions.
McVay said he has had “great dialogue” with Donald, a three-time NFL defensive player of the year and eight-time All-Pro.
“We’ve had some tentative discussions behind the scenes,” McVay said. “There’s a lot of stuff, without getting to granular with it. … He knows himself in terms of, ‘Am I able to stack back-to- back days? Am I able to do some of the benchmarks’ that he’s set out for himself.
“And what I don’t want to sit here and do is put a timeline on it, and then something comes up where I’ve got to kind of push it back. … We have some loose things where we’ve identified, you know, dates that we’d like to be able to hit. But what I don’t want to have is any sort of unnecessary pressure on him if there’s some unforeseen circumstances.”
McVay emphasized he wants to respect the decision-making process Donald is going through.
“If he’s put himself in a position to be able to say yes or no, I think he’s earned that right to have clarity on that,” McVay said. “We’re not at that point quite yet.”
The Rams will hold a joint practice this week against the New Orleans Saints, and then play the Saints on Saturday at SoFi Stadium. Their final preseason game is Aug. 27 against the Chargers.
The roster must be set three days later.
“I feel great about our football team as it currently stands,” McVay said, “and I know he’ll add value if he decides to come.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It did not take long for Ty Simpson to acclimate to the NFL.
In his pro debut, the Rams rookie quarterback passed for two touchdowns and made no major errors in a 20-12 preseason victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I definitely felt more comfortable than I ever have in a game,” said Simpson, who completed 21 of 25 attempts for 190 yards.
It was a much-awaited first game for Simpson after the Rams shocked fans and much of the NFL by picking him so high in the draft after he started only 15 games for Alabama.
Fourth-year pro Stetson Bennett played the first two series — the first against many Chiefs starters — and led a field-goal drive on the second one before Simpson came on with 11 seconds left in the first quarter.
Simpson’s first series ended with him bobbling a high snap, and then making a smart decision to throw the ball out of bounds. From that point on, offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase called play-action bootlegs and other rollouts that enabled Simpson to find receivers, many of them wide open.
“Once that first drive kind of got done, I was like, ‘All right, well yeah, this is just like playing in the backyard,’” Simpson said.
Simpson’s parents and brother were in attendance, and he credited family, coaches and teammates for helping him relax and excel. He finished two second-half drives with short touchdown passes to running back Dean Connors.
“I thought Ty had great command all day,” coach Sean McVay said. “It was a great step in the right direction for him.”
During training camp and recent practices, Bennett took first-team snaps when starter Matthew Stafford was held out. He took second-team snaps when Stafford practiced.
So he appeared to enter the game as the presumptive frontrunner to back up the reigning NFL most valuable player.
Rams quarterback Ty Simpson celebrates after a touchdown against the Chiefs on Saturday.
(Reed Hoffmann / Associated Press)
Does Simpson’ performance change anything?
“We’re going to continue to evaluate it like anything else,” McVay said.
Simpson is not getting caught up in whether there is a true competition.
“That’s a head-man decision and executive decision,” he said. “I just know that I’m happy to be here and I’m working to make sure that I do anything the team needs me to do.”
Other takeaways from the Rams’ preseason victory:
Stetson Bennett steady in start
Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett passes in the first quarter against the Chiefs on Saturday.
(David Eulitt / Getty Images)
Bennett, a fourth-year pro making his seventh preseason start, completed four of six passes for 38 yards and led a field-goal drive before giving way to Simpson.
The first series ended when the Chiefs broke up a third-down pass.
During the second series, Bennett completed four passes during a 13-play, 73-yard field-goal drive that stalled at the six-yard line after the Chiefs broke up his third-down pass to rookie tight end Max Klare in the end zone.
“Stetson did a nice job,” McVay said. “He came in and did a nice job orchestrating a nice drive on the second series.”
Offensive lineman Keagen Trost injured
If the Super Bowl-favorite Rams have a potential weakness, it’s offensive line depth.
They selected former Missouri standout Keagen Trost in the third round with the hope that he could provide versatility. And with left tackle Alaric Jackson possibly facing a suspension if the NFL determines that he violated the league’s personal conduct policy, Trost could be counted on immediately.
Trost started at right tackle, but he left after two series because of a hamstring injury he apparently sustained as part of the protection unit for a Rams field-goal attempt.
“He was pretty bummed,” McVay said, adding that Trost would undergo tests to determine the severity of the issue.
Receiver Mario Williams also sustained a hamstring injury on a kickoff return, McVay said.
Tight end Max Klare the go-to receiver
Chiefs wide receiver Nikko Remigio is tackled by Rams safety Alex Cook during the first half Saturday.
(Reed Hoffmann / Associated Press)
Max Klare, a second-round draft pick out of Ohio State, was targeted eight times, and caught seven passes for 37 yards.
Klare is part of a loaded position group that includes veterans Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and second-year pro Terrance Ferguson.
But Klare showed skills that could help the Rams this season and beyond.
Receiver CJ Daniels, who made multiple plays during training camp, caught two passes for 18 yards.
Defense holds Chiefs to field goals
Outside linebacker Desjuan Johnson, a rotational player last season, was the most notable member of a defense that played a few series against quarterback Justin Fields and the rest of the game against Garrett Nussmeier and Chris Oladokun.
Johnson sacked Nussmeier in the third quarter. Rookie lineman Tim Keenan also had a sack.
Safety Nick Andersen had a team-best nine tackles for the Rams.
Harrison Mevis picks up where he left off
In his first game under new special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, Harrison Mevis kicked field goals of 25 and 40 yards.
Ethan Evans averaged nearly 61 yards for four punts.
Simpson started only 15 games at Alabama before the Rams ostensibly made him the eventual heir apparent to Matthew Stafford.
Now, after offseason workouts, two weeks of training camp and a few preseason practices, Simpson will get his first NFL game opportunity when the Rams open the preseason against Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. PDT (CBS).
“I’m really ready to show who I am,” Simpson said this week.
Simpson, 23, acknowledges the pressure that comes with his draft position, especially for a team that is favored to win Super Bowl LXI. But he does not feel it.
Not outwardly, anyway.
“I try to be as present as I can, and make sure every day I understand how much of a blessing it is knowing that I am the No. 13 pick and everything that comes with it,” Simpson said during training camp. “But also understanding that being here every day, and making the most out of every opportunity that I get, is everything I can ask for.”
Simpson started slow in the first few training camp workouts, but he appeared to break through when he stepped up in the pocket and completed a pass across the middle of the field. Simpson said he had begun to “put the puzzle pieces together,” marrying concepts with lessons learned watching Stafford and Bennett.
“His arm and the confidence that he’s throwing the ball with has definitely grown a ton,” since offseason workouts, Nacua said before the Rams broke camp. “I think he’s feeling more comfortable in the pocket, understanding and seeing more guys run routes.”
Said offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase: “You’ve certainly seen him go and make some throws and go and compete in a really cool way.”
But there is no tackling during practices. So Saturday will be Simpson’s first time experiencing NFL contact.
“It’s going to be a whole different lifestyle,” he quipped.
Rams quarterback Ty Simpson looks to pass during a drill in training camp at Loyola Marymount on July 27.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Coach Sean McVay does not play starters or other projected significant contributors during the preseason. In addition to Nacua and Davante Adams being held out, receivers Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield also will not play, McVay said.
Simpson’s fellow rookies — tight end Max Klare, offensive lineman Keagan Trost, receiver CJ Daniels and defensive lineman Tim Keenan — will play.
Scheelhaase will call plays.
This will be Bennett’s seventh — and most important — preseason start.
Jimmy Garoppolo is no longer on the roster and Stafford was on a limited schedule during training camp, so Bennett worked with the first-team offense for the first time in his career. The former Georgia star, who led the Bulldogs to two national titles, played with confidence and made plays in his bid to show McVay and teammates that he can step in if Stafford is sidelined during the season.
McVay is looking to see how Bennett and Simpson manage the offense before and after the snap. He anticipates that both will use their mobility to make plays if the pocket collapses.
“Seeing some of that stuff come to life will be important,” McVay said. “But I think it’s got to occur naturally.”
Stafford, Bennett and quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone are among those who have eased Simpson’s transition to the NFL. As Simpson prepared for Saturday’s game, Stafford offered counsel.
“The best advice he gave me was, ‘Just go let it rip. It’s nothing that you haven’t done before,’” Simpson said.
But this will be the first time Simpson will do it as a pro.
Simpson anticipates that it will be “surreal” to put on his game jersey and fulfill a dream of playing in the NFL.
“There are going to be things that I mess up on,” he said. “I’m going to learn from them and move on, and next week be able to learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
