The Los Angeles Rams made a blockbuster trade June 1 when they acquired two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns for Jared Verse and a package of draft picks.
At least one Rams player is stumping for another perennial All-Pro to join the team and play alongside Garrett.
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Cornerback Jaylen Watson, who signed with the Rams as a free agent during the 2026 NFL offseason, took to social media to ask Aaron Donald to come out of retirement and return to Los Angeles.
“[H]it me big bro,” Watson wrote in an X post that tagged Donald’s handle.
Donald did not immediately respond to Watson’s social media call-out, and it isn’t clear whether he will.
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett acknowledges the Cleveland crowd during the first half of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Feb. 24, 2026.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett acknowledges the Cleveland crowd during the first half of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Feb. 24, 2026.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett greets girlfriend Chloe Kim after the women’s halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy on Feb. 12, 2026.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett chats with girlfriend Chloe Kim after her second run in the women’s halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy on Feb. 12, 2026.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett puts on a shirt with a photo of his girlfriend, USA snowboarder Chloe Kim, while in attendance at the women’s halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy on Feb. 12, 2026.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett (center) poses with his father Lawrence Garrett (left) and mother Audrey Garrett on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl 60 at Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Feb. 5, 2026.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates with teammates following a sack against the Bengals during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Jan. 4, 2026. The sack set a new NFL single season record.
(Katie Stratman, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates with safety Donovan McMillon (31) following a sack against the Bengals during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Jan. 4, 2026. The sack set a new NFL single season record.
(Katie Stratman, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is all smiles as he jogs back inside before a game, Dec. 21, 2025, in Cleveland.
(Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal via USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, left, and defensive tackle Shelby Harris walk off the field during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, Ohio on July 23, 2025.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates after sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (not pictured) during the first quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Nov. 19, 2023
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the first quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Nov. 19, 2023.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) hits New York Jets quarterback Joe Flacco (19) during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sep. 18, 2022.
(Scott Galvin, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) helps up Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sep. 26, 2021.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) hits Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) with his own helmet as offensive guard David DeCastro (66) tries to stop Garrett during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on Nov. 14, 2019.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) on the field warming up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Aug. 17, 2019.
(Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates after the second half of a game against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sep. 20, 2018.
(David Dermer, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) high-fives fans after the game against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on Oct. 8, 2017.
(Scott Galvin, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks New York Jets quarterback Josh McCown (15) during the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on Oct. 8, 2017.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns first round picks defensive lineman Myles Garrett and defensive back Jabrill Peppers and tight end David Njoku display their jerseys to the media at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Apr 28, 2017.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett is announced as the No. 1 overall pick to the Cleveland Browns during the 2017 NFL Draft at Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia on April 27, 2017.
(Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports)
Donald has not played since 2023, when he racked up eight sacks in 16 games and was named to his eighth All-Pro first team. He spent all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Rams and racked up 111 sacks, earned three Defensive Player of the Year awards and won Super Bowl 56.
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Despite his retirement, Donald routinely posts workout videos of himself to social media. Most recently, he shared a clip of one of his workouts to Instagram, which featured “#ready” in the caption and the song “ain’t done” by Blxst playing over the post.
Will Aaron Donald come out of retirement?
While some might take that as a sign Donald is considering a return, it’s worth noting that the 35-year-old has frequently stated he does not intend to return to the NFL.
In a May 13 appearance on Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast, Donald reiterated he was happy to be retired and that he was “a guy that never wanted to play forever.”
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“I always said I was going to do eight years and be done,” Donald said while comparing himself to Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders. “I just happened to win a Super Bowl my eighth year and I was like, ‘Man, this is destiny!'”
Donald decided to play two more years after that Super Bowl win because he wanted another chance to win a championship.
“You can’t just win a Super Bowl and walk away,” Donald explained. “You want to experience that again.”
But after the Rams were unable to do that, Donald was completely comfortable walking away from the NFL.
And while Donald acknowledged he has fielded calls from Sean McVay in the past, he still hasn’t felt tempted to return to the field.
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“The first two years, they would talk about it,” Donald said, referencing his discussions with McVay and the Rams. “But it kind of quiet down because he know where I’m at.”
So, unless Donald’s opinion changes following the Garrett trade, the 35-year-old seems likely to remain retired – and stay on track for a potential Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement in 2029.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Aaron Donald has said about coming out of retirement to rejoin Rams
