Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald will not play in Week 1.
At long last, the Los Angeles Rams have made a decision regarding the playing status of defensive end Aaron Donald.
Per head coach Sean McVay, Donald will not suit up against the San Francisco 49ers. Additionally, he will not travel to Australia either.
It is not surprising that McVay has chosen to give Donald a bit of leeway in terms of making his 2026 debut, as the defender is coming off a two-year layoff. Additionally, both the Rams head coach and Donald himself pointed to this fact.
Donald has been steadily working his way back to football shape for multiple months, but even with his staying in shape, being football-ready is an entirely different thing altogether.
McVay and Donald likely came to an agreement that his being pushed into playing in Week 1 was not the smartest thing to do.
That is especially true considering the Rams are set to travel a long distance to take on the 49ers in Australia. Despite the fact that Donald is coming off a layoff from playing football, having to travel across the world may have been too much for him.
McVay puts a lot of time and science into doing what is best for the team when it comes to international travel, and his 3-0 record is proof that he has found a good way of ensuring that Los Angeles is successful when having to travel and play in international games.
Even with all of the science, McVay and Donald will forego his debut in 2026 to potentially Week 2.
The good news is that since the Rams have to travel to Australia, their next game following Thursday will be 10 days after. This could give the defensive end plenty of time to get ready to play a full season.
Donald was also placed on a special exempt list for two games, meaning he could be with the Rams but would not have to play in the first two games if he was not physically ready to do so.
Being ruled out for Week 1 aside, the Rams could be ready to play with the three-time Defensive Player of the Year when they face the New York Giants in Week 2. That game takes place on Mon, Sep. 21, giving Donald nearly two weeks to get even more ready to play.
Los Angeles also has a defense that is plenty potent without Donald, as fellow Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett is ready to go, as are Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, Kobie Turner, and many more.
