Myles Garrett traded to Rams in blockbuster NFL offseason deal
Myles Garrett went to the Rams in a blockbuster trade with the Browns, reshaping the NFL offseason and boosting Los Angeles’ title hopes.
The Los Angeles Rams acquired a defensive star in the Myles Garrett trade. Also, you may have accidentally landed briefly.
Former Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald told ESPN’s Pat McAfee that he is considering retirement after Los Angeles acquired Garrett in a June 1 trade with the Cleveland Browns. McAfee shared a text message he received from Donald on the June 2 episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“(The Myles Garrett trade) certainly made me think,” Donald said in a text message, according to McAfee.
Donald went on to say that a return to the Rams is not yet certain. He told McAfee that he is 35 years old and has been two years since his last football action (the 2023 season, which included his 10th Pro Bowl appearance and his eighth First Team All-Pro honor).
“We’ll have to see if that fire rekindles,” Donald said.
Rumors of Donald’s return were circulating as early as the 2024 offseason, months after he first announced his retirement. Despite saying in interviews that he no longer had the desire to train persistently, Donald has been posting videos on social media of himself lifting heavy weights throughout his retirement.
A video posted to Instagram three weeks ago shows the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year bench pressing 160-pound dumbbells, a total of 320 pounds.
During his 10-year career with the Rams, Donald had 543 tackles, 176 tackles for loss, and 111 sacks. He also recorded 24 forced fumbles and 21 passes defensed in his career. Donald’s six-year, $135 million contract extension he signed with the Rams in 2018 expires after the 2024 season, one year after retiring.
Garrett will join the Rams defense in 2026 after a stellar career in Cleveland. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft has 412 tackles and 125.5 sacks over the first nine years of his career. His 23 sacks last season set a single-season NFL record previously set by Michael Strahan and TJ Watt, and he was on his way to winning his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
Garrett, 30, is under contract with the Browns through 2030 after signing a four-year, $160 million extension that begins after the 2026 season.
Erica Donald responds to rumors of Aaron Donald not retiring
If anyone knows about Donald’s plans, or lack thereof, to get back on the field, it might be from someone inside the former Lamb’s house.
Aaron’s wife, Erica Donald, posted the perfect three-word message for fans hoping to see No. 99 return to the team following the Myles Garrett trade.
“Everyone is hilarious,” she posted to X.
