Will Compton backs Aaron Donald return

Will Compton added his voice on June 2 to a fast-moving round of speculation around Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams. The former NFL linebacker wrote on X that Donald’s Instagram workout footage looked like the kind of video that made a return feel possible, and he linked that idea to the Rams’ new pairing with Myles Garrett. His post came as Donald himself acknowledged he was at least considering the idea after Los Angeles’ trade for Garrett. The sequence matters because this is no longer only fan speculation. Donald told Pat McAfee, as reported by NBC Sports on June 2, that the Garrett move “for sure got me thinking,” while Rams coach Sean McVay said the team would be interested if Donald wanted to come back. ### What exactly did Will Compton say? Will Compton wrote on X on June 2 that the workout footage he saw from Donald suggested a possible return to the Rams next season. Compton tied that to Garrett’s arrival and said the two together could mean “Super Bowl at SoFi,” according to the post referenced in the source briefing. (nbcsports.com) The timing of Compton’s post was part of the story. The comment landed after workout clips of Donald circulated from sessions filmed at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and after the Rams had already made their blockbuster move for Garrett. ### Why did this rumor pick up now? Myles Garrett’s arrival in Los Angeles changed the backdrop. (usatoday.com) USA Today reported on June 2 that the Rams acquired Garrett from Cleveland in a deal that sent Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick to the Browns. Aaron Donald’s own words then pushed the story further. (usatoday.com) NBC Sports reported that McAfee texted Donald after the Garrett trade, and Donald replied that it “for sure got me thinking,” while adding that being 35 and two years removed meant he had to see whether “that fire can light back up.” ### Did Donald actually say he is coming back? (usatoday.com) Aaron Donald did not say he had decided to return. NBC Sports’ June 2 report said Donald is on the Rams’ reserve-retired list and framed his comments as a sign he is considering a comeback, not committing to one. The distinction is important because Donald had been firm when he retired in 2024. (nbcsports.com) Yahoo Sports reported on June 2 that Donald had previously pushed back on return questions over the past two years before the Garrett trade reopened the discussion. ### What have the Rams said publicly? Sean McVay said on June 2 that the Rams would be interested if Donald wanted to return, according to USA Today and other reports surfaced Tuesday. (nbcsports.com) McVay’s comments did not announce any agreement, but they made clear the team would listen if Donald decided he wanted back in. That public stance fits the football logic around the rumor. (sports.yahoo.com) Garrett is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and Donald is one of the defining defensive players of his era, so even a hint that they could play together drew immediate attention across NFL media. ### Why does the SoFi reference keep coming up? SoFi Stadium is central because it is the Rams’ home field and the site Compton referenced in his “Super Bowl at SoFi” line. (usatoday.com) It is also where the workout footage tied to this round of speculation was filmed, according to the source briefing. The next concrete step is Donald’s decision. (usatoday.com) As of June 3, the public record is Compton’s June 2 post, Donald’s June 2 comment to McAfee that Garrett “got me thinking,” and McVay’s statement the same day that the Rams would be interested if Donald wants to return. (nbcsports.com)