Seattle Seahawks fans know what is coming, and the Los Angeles Rams appear to be having a bit of fun with the situation. Almost certainly, the retired Aaron Donald will reverse course and rejoin LA for at least the 2026 season. He will be teaming up with Myles Garrett.
Donald had a workout with Los Angeles this week, and he appeared on the Rams' activity report because the defensive lineman wore a helmet while doing his drills. Even if he hadn't, the sports world would likely have heard of Donald visiting LA headquarters.
His likely return is the worst-kept secret in the NFL, and has been for a couple of months now. When Seattle plays the Rams at least twice in 2026, the Seahawks will be facing a formidable defense that features Garrett and Donald, two players who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after their careers end for good.
Seattle Seahawks likely facing the Los Angeles Rams with Aaron Donald won't change a thing
Let's not pretend that an LA line with two elite players isn't scary. It is, and the talent will need to be dealt with.
That said, Seattle also has high-end talent that other teams have to worry about. Byron Murphy II and Leonard Williams, for instance, are fantastic players and among the best at their positions in the NFL. And while the Rams have great offensive direction with head coach Sean McVay, Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald is just as good on the defensive side.
Moreover, Los Angeles adding talent to combat Seattle defeating them twice last season is exactly what should happen. Why not make a great rivalry even better? The way the Rams are going about it is the complete opposite of the Seahawks, though.
Garrett and Donald are past 30 years old, for instance. They might be the favorite to win the Super Bowl this coming season, no matter whether Donald returns or not. If he does, LA only becomes more of the betting favorite to win the title. Fine. But what about 2027 and beyond?
Los Angeles is closer to a retooling than the Seattle Seahawks are. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is 38 years old. Seattle's QB1, Sam Darnold, is 29. While general manager John Schneider is busy extending young pillars of the franchise, Rams general manager Les Snead is busy making his team older.
Maybe that doesn't change the outcome of 2026, but in the long run, the Seahawks are in much better shape than Los Angeles. Oh, and Seattle has now won the Super Bowl more recently than Los Angeles or its other great rival, the San Francisco 49ers.
Let Aaron Donald return. That's fine, and a good story. To paraphrase Mike Macdonald, Seattle will not care what LA or San Francisco is doing.
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