Aaron Donald's return fires up Rams in rout of Giants - ESPN

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — When Aaron Donald ran out onto the field for his first game since the end of the 2023 season, the SoFi Stadium crowd erupted.

The Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle, who was playing in his first game back since coming out of retirement on Aug. 30, said he «did a little bit more jumping than I used to do» on his run out of the tunnel before the 28-6 win against the New York Giants.

Donald called it «special» to be embraced the way he was in his return.

«If you didn't get chills when he was introduced, then you're not freaking alive,» Rams coach Sean McVay said.

Donald's presence also affected his teammates. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said he was «so juiced» after watching Donald run out of the tunnel, «I couldn't control myself.»

«The fans were happy to see him back, and we all were, too,» Stafford said.

Donald finished the game with three tackles, a tackle for a loss and zero pressures, according to Next Gen Stats. He played 32 (58.2%) of the Rams' defensive snaps. Asked whether Donald was on a snap count, McVay said, «What do you think?»

«You tell him to come out,» McVay joked.

Donald said afterward that he was «a little sore right now.» He had a wrap on his right hand during his postgame news conference, but when asked about it, he said his hand was «just a little sore.»

«Two panicked practices and then a game,» Donald said.

He said he felt a little rust during the game but that things slowed down for him toward the second half.

Though Donald did not have a pressure, the Rams had a 66.7% pass rush win rate against the Giants, meaning they beat their block within 2.5 seconds on two-thirds of their rushes. According to ESPN Analytics/NFL Next Gen Stats, that was tied for the third best by any