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Aaron Donald Returns, Signs $20M Rams Contract for 2026

9/1/2026

21 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Donald Returns

Aaron Donald unretired and signed a one-year contract for the 2026 season.
The contract includes a $20 million base salary and incentives that could reach $30 million.
Donald said the June trade for defensive end Myles Garrett motivated his return.
Coach Sean McVay said the Rams will take Donald’s comeback “one day at a time.”
The Rams are Super Bowl favorites, with Donald and Garrett forming a feared defensive duo.

Summary

Donald vs 49ers

The 49ers’ offensive line will face Aaron Donald in Week 1 in Melbourne, Australia.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan plans to adjust the game plan to counter Donald’s interior pressure.
Donald’s return forces the 49ers to devote extra pass-rush preparation time previously allocated elsewhere.
The Rams open the season on 10 September against the 49ers, reviving the historic NFC West rivalry.

History

Historical Context

After the NFL and AFL announced their merger on June 8, 1966 and unified into a 26-team league before the 1970 season, Commissioner Pete Rozelle secured national TV contracts that expanded viewership. The realignment placed the Rams and 49ers together in the NFC West, a precedent that now underpins the 2026 Rams-49ers showdown in Melbourne and the NFL’s push for more overseas games.

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Donald Returns

Aaron Donald unretired and signed a one-year contract for the 2026 season.
The contract includes a $20 million base salary and incentives that could reach $30 million.
Donald said the June trade for defensive end Myles Garrett motivated his return.
Coach Sean McVay said the Rams will take Donald’s comeback “one day at a time.”
The Rams are Super Bowl favorites, with Donald and Garrett forming a feared defensive duo.

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