NFL insider reveals latest Aaron Donald Week 1 update

Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

NFL insider reveals latest Aaron Donald Week 1 update

By Steven Kubitza | Last updated Sep 4, 2026 2:34 PM ET

Aaron Donald decided the 2026 Los Angeles Rams were too good a team for him to stay retired. He waited right until training camp was over and shocked the NFL world by signing a $20 million deal with more in potential incentives.

Donald has not played since the 2023 season and is now 35 years old, leading fans to wonder if he will play in the Rams' opener in Australia next Thursday.

An NFL insider revealed a hopeful update for fans wishing to see him play.

Aaron Donald is headed to Australia

NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared the news that Donald is indeed making the trip to Melbourne for the Week 1 showdown against the San Francisco 49ers. His playing status just remains unknown for now.

That includes Aaron Donald, who is still TBD on playing. https://t.co/2iaYovqPhr
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 4, 2026

This is an incredibly long flight for anyone, let alone for someone who needs to get off the plane and play in an NFL game after coming out of retirement. The fact he is making the trip at all does seem to indicate he will play in the game.

Donald is an eight-time All-Pro and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He destroyed opposing offensive linemen for years and now gets to play alongside arguably the best player in football in Myles Garrett.

The key will be health, as players in the past have suffered injuries after such a long layoff. Yet Donald is literally built different and should be ready given the massive deal the team signed him to after several seasons out of the NFL.

Steven Kubitza

Steven Kubitza is a Cleveland, Ohio, native with over a decade in the news industry. His work has been featured on Yahoo Sports, FOX Sports, and FanSided, among other outlets. He is a lifelong Browns fan who is convinced the team will turn things around at some point in the next 50 years

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