Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro Gerald McCoy has shut down the idea of Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald returning.
Despite Aaron Donald and Gerald McCoy never having played on the same team, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player has shut down the idea that Donald would play for the Los Angeles Rams in 2026.
McCoy goes so far as to say that he has some "insight" into the situation and that he does not see a return taking place for the future Hall of Famer.
"I have some insight," McCoy said in an exclusive interview with Kyle Odegard. "I don't see it happening."
McCoy appears to have some inside information, but he does refer to it as his "insight." Whether or not he has spoken to Donald personally about a potential return, the former All-Pro indicated that the Rams defensive end stopped for a major reason.
"When you take a person like Aaron Donald, or Barry Sanders, or even a Megatron (Calvin Johnson) -- I'm using them because they stopped way before people expected them to," McCoy said. "When you accomplish that much that early, you stop for a reason. He stopped playing because he knew the love he had to push through that grind was gone," McCoy said.
This statement makes sense considering Donald was on Cam Heyward's podcast in mid-May and spoke about just this. He revealed that he was completely content with walking away from the game and where he stands.
Donald may have ignited reports and rumors via his statements after Myles Garrett was traded for, but that does not mean he is fully on board with making a return. Should Los Angeles get him back in the building, it might also not be for the reason everyone expects.
"If he really wanted to lock in, he could come back and play and be a third-down threat. He wouldn't be the A.D. we know and remember because he'd be rusty. But he's so gifted athletically, so talented, so skilled, that, yeah, even being out the game for two years, he could come back and play if he wanted to," McCoy said.
Donald has been in the building, and naturally so. He remains a huge part of the Rams organization regardless if he is playing or not. Kam Curl indicated he sees the former defender, but he is usually just hanging around.
Donald has been linked to potentially coaching in the future, and he could potentially return to the Rams in 2026 to serve in that capacity but his return remains a major question.
As McCoy indicated, should the unlikely event of Donald returning actually occur, the defense might only use him in certain third down situations or potentially with a half-snap type of structure. This is just speculation, but any player being out for a year or two often needs time to get back into the swing of things.
Nobody knows for sure if Donald will return, but if it is to happen, the Rams might not get word until well into training camp.
