Donald returns after two years

Aaron Donald played his first game back on Monday night after being retired for nearly 1,000 days. The Rams defensive tackle took the field for over 30 snaps.

McVay impressed by Donald's impact

Coach Sean McVay said Donald made his presence felt immediately, still drawing double and triple teams despite the long layoff. McVay called it "pretty impressive" to return and perform at that level.

“pretty impressive to be off almost 1,000 days, come back and play the defensive line position, 30-plus snaps, make your impact felt tremendously”

Donald stayed in shape during break

McVay noted that Donald clearly maintained his conditioning during retirement, saying "he still is taking great care of himself, the hard work pays off." The coach believes Donald's best is still ahead.

“He still is taking great care of himself, the hard work pays off”

Room for improvement ahead

Despite his strong performance, McVay said Donald is excited about areas where he can improve as the season progresses. The coach expects Donald to get even better with game reps.

“And I think the best is yet to come from him.”

Donald elevated the entire team

McVay said seeing Donald run out of the tunnel gave him goosebumps and energized his teammates and the crowd. "That's what the greats do," McVay said of Donald's ability to lift everyone around him.

“You get goosebumps. It elevated everybody, and that's what the greats do.”