Aaron Donald hasn’t played an NFL snap since 2023. But he’s still out there teaching the next generation how to wreck a backfield. The latest student? New Steelers safety Jaquan Brisker.
A video posted to Instagram shows Donald walking Brisker through the finer points of beating blockers. Brisker spent four years in Chicago before signing with Pittsburgh for 2026. And there he was, getting a hands-on tutorial from a guy who might still be the best defensive player on earth if he ever decides to come back.
The Rams have kept Donald’s locker open. Literally and figuratively. They’ve made it clear there’s no hard deadline for his decision. But the clock is ticking. Training camp is not that far off, and the longer this drags, the more people start wondering if he actually returns or if this is just a long goodbye.
Andrew Whitworth, Donald’s former teammate on the Rams offensive line, talked to the New York Post about what’s really holding Donald back. And it’s not about wanting to play.
“I think it’s going to be how comfortable he is with going back out there and understanding not the positive, but the negative,” Whitworth said. “And that is, you get injured. Injuries, things that affect you past football. It’s going to be how comfortable he is with that.”
Whitworth knows the calculus well. He played until 40. He pointed out that Donald is the kind of guy who trains constantly regardless of whether he has a season lined up. So the question isn’t can he still play. It’s whether he’s willing to accept the risk.
“Aaron’s a guy like me,” Whitworth said. “He’s training all the time, no matter what. You know, when you go in there a few days how you feel and whether that’s everyday life feel good. Or I could sign up to play football. But only he will know that.”
What’s the actual latest?
According to a report from Sportsbloom.us, there’s a growing sense inside the Rams organization and around the league that Donald will play a majority of the 2026 season. No firm timetable on when he makes it official. But the vibe is shifting toward a return.
Donald played 10 seasons with the Rams. Every single one ended with a Pro Bowl nod. That’s a streak he’d be putting on the line. He has 111 career sacks. And he hasn’t taken a hit in two years. Coming back at 34 after that kind of break would be unprecedented for a defensive tackle. But then again, Donald has spent his whole career doing stuff people said was impossible.
The Rams aren’t pressuring him. They don’t need to. They know what he means to that defense. And if he walks back through the door, they’ll hand him a helmet and tell him to line up. No questions asked.
In the meantime, Donald’s out here teaching safeties how to rush the passer. Which is its own kind of flex.
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