Aaron Donald will not travel to Melbourne for the Rams’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, coach Sean McVay announced Tuesday, confirming what had been the central uncertainty of the Rams’ Australia preparations.
McVay said he is doing a great job and will be ready to go sooner rather than later, but that the decision not to travel is what the team believes is best for the player and for the Rams. He said the turnaround would have been too quick. He declined to put a timeline on when Donald will play, saying only that he will be a big part of the team when he is ready.
He came out of retirement on Aug. 30 after initially retiring in March 2024, took part in individual drills that day but did not practice 11-on-11 until Sept. 6. The Rams limited him in Tuesday’s practice. McVay has been clear since the return that the team would not rush the three-time Defensive Player of the Year back onto the field.
McVay said he is as great a competitor as there is, wants to be out there and wants to contribute positively. But he said the player also understands there is a necessary ramp-up.
He said Monday that he was feeling really good but described feeling a little rusty during some team drill plays before settling in. He said his movement is pretty damn good considering he has not played in two years, and that the more reps he gets, the better it will be.
Garrett update
McVay said defensive end Myles Garrett, who has been managing swelling in his knee, will be ready to play in Week 1. Garrett did not practice Tuesday, which the team noted on its official injury report. McVay said he has been smart with Garrett but that his impact in practice has been tremendous.
The 49ers’ reaction
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday morning in Melbourne that he was very excited to wake up and learn the 49ers would not face Donald in Week 1. He said he had told reporters Donald was definitely playing, and that he has never been more excited to be wrong about something.
Shanahan added that while he smiled at the news, San Francisco will still have to see Donald eventually. The two teams play at Levi’s Stadium in Week 14.
He said he was preparing for the worst and was glad not to face Donald this week.
What it means for the game
Los Angeles will open the Rams season in Melbourne without their most anticipated returning player but with Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, expected to be active. San Francisco’s Nick Bosa and George Kittle are both expected to play after recoveries from their own serious injuries.
The delay continues the careful Rams management approach that McVay has maintained since the retirement reversal, prioritizing readiness over availability on a specific date.
