# Aaron Donald returns, says game felt slower than expected

> The Rams defensive star comes back from retirement and adjusts to game speed in his first action since 2023.
- Title: Aaron Donald returns, says game felt slower than expected
- Summary: The Rams defensive star comes back from retirement and adjusts to game speed in his first action since 2023. Aaron Donald needs a few games to shake off rust…
- Keywords: aaron donald, los angeles rams, nfl, defensive tackle, return from retirement, sofi stadium, new york giants, myles garrett, defensive player of the year, sports, Aaron, Donald
- Source: NBC Sports — https://nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/aaron-donald-game-wasnt-as-fast-as-i-thought
- Published: 2026-09-22T10:29:02.248+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: aaron donald, los angeles rams, nfl, defensive tackle, return from retirement, sofi stadium, new york giants, myles garrett, defensive player of the year, sports
## Donald returns to the field
Aaron Donald made his first appearance since retiring after the 2023 season, playing 33 of 58 defensive snaps in the Rams' 28-6 win over the Giants on Monday night.
## SoFi crowd energizes his return
When Donald was announced as the final defensive starter at SoFi Stadium, the crowd response "kind of amped me up a little bit," he said.

> kind of amped me up a little bit
## Three tackles in his debut
Donald recorded three tackles and one tackle for loss in his first game back, showing he still has the skills that made him a three-time defensive player of the year.
## Game felt slower than expected
Donald said the game wasn't as fast as he anticipated, attributing struggles to overrunning plays and not trusting his eyes rather than a lack of ability.

> The game really wasn't as fast as I thought
## Needs time to find his rhythm
Donald compared his current situation to previous comebacks, noting it took a couple games to get going after holding out in 2017 and 2018.

> It took a couple games to get going
## Garrett pairing on hold for now
The Rams planned to pair Donald with Myles Garrett, but Garrett's knee injury has delayed that defensive duo from taking the field together.
## Key takeaway

Aaron Donald needs a few games to shake off rust after two years away, but feels confident he'll regain his form quickly.