Aaron Donald didn’t need a long tease, a flashy video, or a slow-burn rollout to make the point. He went straight to the classic two-word message and made it official: “I'm Back.”
That’s the same kind of blunt, iconic return announcement Michael Jordan used when he came back to the Chicago Bulls, and it fits Donald’s own stature. Few athletes can borrow that line without sounding ridiculous. Donald can.
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 30, 2026
The Rams defensive tackle hasn’t played since the 2023 season, but his resume already sits in rare air. Over a 10-year career, he built a case as one of the best defensive players in NFL history, collecting three Defensive Player of the Year awards, 10 Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl LVI ring. He walked away while still in his prime, and now he’s officially back with Los Angeles.
At 35, Donald still gives the Rams another weapon on a defense that has been loaded up around him. Los Angeles added reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett during the offseason, traded for Trent McDuffie and signed Jaylen Watson in free agency.
That’s a serious group, and it lands alongside an offense that already includes Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Stafford, of course, was last year’s MVP.
That’s why the Rams suddenly look like one of the clearest Super Bowl favorites on the board. Donald’s return doesn’t just bring back a familiar face - it drops an all-time great into a roster already built to chase a title.
Winning three championships after retirement, the way Jordan did, may be a stretch. But Aaron Donald is back, and that alone changes the conversation.
In Other News...
Pitts First Depth Chart Reveals Early Risers And One Battle To Watch
Pitts first official depth chart for the 2026 season offered an early snapshot of how the roster is lining up on both sides of the ball, and it came with a couple of noteworthy hints about the programs next wave. Freshmen Damon Ferguson and Josh Pittman both surfaced in significant roles, a sign that the Panthers are not waiting long to see what their newcomers can handle as they move deeper into camp and toward the opener.
Special teams remains the most unsettled area, with the competition at placekicker and punter still ongoing. The chart reflects where things stand right now more than a final answer, which is exactly why it matters this time of year: it shows which jobs are secure, which young players are already pushing into the mix, and which decisions Pitt still has to settle before the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Pitts Defense Is Bringing Back The Identity Fans Crave
Pitts defense is leaning hard into something fans have long associated with the program: a Western Pennsylvania edge. This falls starters include Sean FitzSimmons up front, Braylan Lovelace at linebacker, Cruce Brookins at safety and Raion Strader at cornerback, all local products who arrived with reputations built in the high school ranks and have carried that toughness into the college game. For a defense trying to establish its tone early, the makeup of that group matters just as much as any scheme detail.
FitzSimmons, now a four-year starter, has grown into a leadership role while staying connected to the roots that shaped him. Coaches have made clear they value the grit that comes with players from the region, and this unit gives Pitt a chance to reconnect with an identity that resonates with the fan base. The question now is whether that local core can turn the feel-good fit into the kind of weekly reliability that defines a defense. [Read more 🡒]
Pitt Defense Faces An Early Miami Test As Crothers Returns
Pitt is getting an early measuring-stick game, and defensive coordinator Cory Sanders is treating it like one of the first real chances to find out where his group stands. With a new opponent on the schedule, Sanders framed the preparation around the basics that usually decide September football, especially getting off the field early and making sure the run game does not take over. For a defense still sorting itself out, that kind of discipline matters even more when the scouting report changes and the margin for error shrinks.
Zach Crothers brought a different perspective to the week, speaking about what it has taken to get back into the mix after a long road through rehab. On the other side of the ball, Malik Knight talked about building chemistry with the quarterback and how he wants to use his speed to stress a defense, which gives Pitt a little more to think about as the game approaches. Between Crothers return and Knights growing role, this one feels like an early test not just of the matchup, but of how much traction Pitt has already gained on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]