Los Angeles Rams

Aaron Donald’s long-awaited NFL return is finally complete.

More than three months after whispers started to turn to credible reports that the three-time Defensive Player of the Year was weighing a return to football, Donald made his season debut in a 28-6 Rams win over the Giants on Monday night.

While it wasn’t an explosive debut for Donald, who had three tackles and a tackle for loss, the 35-year-old indicated after the game that it didn’t take him long to settle in.

Here’s the chilling message Donald sent after the win.

MORE: Complete timeline of Aaron Donald’s NFL comeback

What Aaron Donald said after his Rams return

The concern with the average player returning after two years away from the game would ordinarily be whether they can keep up with younger, faster players. Donald is not your average player, though.

After the Rams’ win, the future Hall of Famer said the game wasn’t even fast enough.

«The game really wasn’t as fast as I thought,» he told the ESPN broadcast.

AARON DONALD BACK LIKE HE NEVER LEFT 😤🔥
(via @NFL ) pic.twitter.com/SelL96gjjV
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 22, 2026

Still, Donald wasn’t totally satisfied with his performance. While he claims he’s already up to game speed, Donald said he needs to clean up some aspects of his game before Week 3.

«Playing the game, when I held out in ’17, ’18 it was the same way when I came back, it took a couple games to get going,» Donald said. «It’s a little different. I ain’t played in two years, so I gotta watch the film, see what I did good, see what I did wrong, and just clean it up.»

Donald didn’t record his first post-retirement sack, but he had a tackle for loss in a thoroughly dominant game for the Rams’ defense. Awaiting Donald in Week 3 will be the Broncos’ offensive line, which is considered one of the best in the NFL.

Los Angeles Rams

What Aaron Donald said after his Rams return

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