Aaron Donald sends ‘That’s the plan’ message to New York Giants as Los Angeles Rams prepare for his long-awaited return

Aaron Donald has confirmed his plans to return to the NFL against the New York Giants after sitting out the Los Angeles Rams‘ season opener in Australia.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year is set to play his first NFL game since the 2023 season after coming out of retirement.

Donald did not feature in the Rams’ 27-7 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, but his return will give Los Angeles another major presence on the defensive line.

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Speaking about his plans for Monday Night Football, Donald gave a short answer when asked if he would make his debut against the Giants.

“That’s the plan,” Donald said, via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The Rams will host New York at SoFi Stadium, giving Donald the chance to make his long-awaited return in front of his home supporters.

Although Donald has not played an NFL game for two seasons, his return comes with plenty of attention given his record during his career with the Rams.

New York opened the season with a win over the Dallas Cowboys, but now face a much tougher test against a Rams team looking to respond after its defeat in Melbourne.

Los Angeles will, however, be without Myles Garrett after the star pass rusher was placed on injured reserve. Garrett, who joined the Rams during the offseason, is expected to miss at least four games after undergoing knee surgery.

That leaves Donald as an even bigger part of the defensive spotlight against the Giants.

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New York will also need to deal with a Rams offence that scored seven points in the loss to San Francisco, while SNY’s Connor Hughes believes the Giants could need at least 30 points to have a chance.

“I don’t think the defense is going to shut down the Rams’ offense; I think the Rams are going to score. If the Giants want to win, they’re going to have to find a way to get to 30,” Hughes said.

For Donald, though, the focus will be on something much simpler: finally stepping back onto an NFL field.

Monday night will mark his first game since the 2023 season and his first appearance since deciding to return to the Rams.