Aaron Donald will return if Rams 'bring everybody back'

Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Donald will return next season if Rams 'bring everybody back'

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 2/17/22

It seems rumors about the alleged demise of the Los Angeles Rams coming off their Super Bowl LVI win over the Cincinnati Bengals may have been greatly exaggerated.

Even before the Super Bowl, both Rams head coach Sean McVay and All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald were linked with potential retirements if they added titles to their already-impressive résumés, and neither publicly committed to returning for another season before Wednesday's celebratory parade. That changed during the ceremony, however, when McVay and Donald vowed in front of cheering Rams fans to "run it back" for at least one more year.

Since then, McVay's fiancée, Veronika Khomyn, took to social media to pour cold water over the idea the 36-year-old will step away from his post this offseason, and Donald told TMZ Sports following the parade he'll return if the Rams "bring everybody back," specifically pass-rusher Von Miller and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

For a piece published Tuesday, Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith explained the Rams could convert some salaries into bonuses and also restructure other deals to create salary-cap space needed to keep the core of their championship roster together through the start of the 2022 campaign.

Beckham's status, however, is unknown, as he suffered a torn ACL in the Super Bowl and may not be available until the next postseason tournament at the earliest.

That setback aside, Donald, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year still in his prime, appears prepared to attempt to go back-to-back with the Rams once his deserved revelries conclude.

“Why wouldn’t we Run it Back, We Got To..” @AaronDonald97 X @obj @RamsNFL @NFL @nflnetwork @overtime @brgridiron @210ths pic.twitter.com/oq5xfmOZQr
— Prospect Media (@prospectmedia_) February 17, 2022