Sources: Aaron Donald unretires, reaches $20M deal with Rams - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — Star defensive tackle Aaron Donald is coming out of retirement to try to help the Los Angeles Rams win another Super Bowl.

Donald agreed to a one-year, $20 million deal with playoff incentives that can raise the total value of the deal to $30 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Rams announced Donald's return but did not disclose terms.

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Donald, who retired in March 2024 after 10 NFL seasons, is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, an eight-time first-team All-Pro, a 10-time Pro Bowl selection and the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year.

But the Rams' trade for Myles Garrett in June spurred conversation about the possibility of Donald's return for the chance to play with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Since the Rams' June 1 trade for Garrett, Donald has been putting himself through a «very strict, regimented process that was similar to what he did when he played» to see whether he could return, head coach Sean McVay said.

That process included a workout at Loyola Marymount University, on a players' day off from training camp with members of the Rams' staff present. That week, McVay said Donald «looked outstanding» during the workout.

Even before Donald's return, the Rams were the favorite to win Super Bowl LXI, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

Since double team rates were first tracked in 2017, only three players have recorded a 20-sack season. Two of them are now on the Rams, with Donald's double-team rate alone clearing Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt combined.

Donald, 35, has 111 sacks, the second most among primary defensive tackles in a career (behind John Randle's 137.5) since individual sacks became an official