Aaron Donald plans to play on Monday night

Aaron Donald is ready to return.

Donald, the Rams defensive tackle who hasn’t played since announcing his retirement after the 2023 season, said today that he expects to play against the Giants on Monday Night Football.

“That’s the plan,” Donald said when asked if he is playing.

Donald, who did not make the trip to Australia for the Rams’ Week 1 loss to the 49ers, said he has been feeling like his old self while practicing this week.

“Have another practice tomorrow, and then we’ll see, but feeling good,” Donald said.

The 35-year-old Donald was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 2020. He retired after 10 seasons with the Rams but started considering a comeback after the Rams traded for the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett.

Donald and Garrett on the same defensive line would be a ferocious combination, but we’ll have to wait at least four more weeks to see that, as Garrett went on injured reserve after Week 1. Instead, the focus on Monday night will be on Donald, and seeing whether he still looks like the Aaron Donald of old.