McVay compares landing Myles Garrett to the Stafford trade, and won't rule out an Aaron Donald return
The Rams coach said acquiring Garrett felt like the Stafford deal that won a Super Bowl. Then he opened a door no one expected: 'If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off, I bet you he could still do it.'
Sean McVay framed the Myles Garrett trade in the biggest terms he had available: 'We feel really fortunate that this feels very similar to when we were fortunate enough to be able to acquire a player like Matthew Stafford.' That deal won the Rams a Super Bowl. Then McVay was asked about Aaron Donald, and he didn't say no.
How does McVay frame the Garrett trade?
As a franchise-defining swing, on the level of the Stafford acquisition. McVay said opportunities to land a player like Garrett are rare and warranted the Rams' aggressive pursuit. The Stafford comparison is deliberate: that trade cost premium draft capital and delivered a title in the first year, which is exactly the win-now bet Los Angeles is making by sending Jared Verse, a 2027 first, a 2028 second, and a 2029 third to Cleveland for the two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
What did he actually say about Aaron Donald?
He left the door open. Asked about the retired Hall-of-Fame-bound defensive tackle returning, McVay said: 'If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip.' He added that he stays in close contact with Donald and respects Donald's relationship with Garrett, but stressed the decision is entirely Donald's. It's not a report that Donald is coming back, but it's a head coach publicly inviting the conversation.
Why would the Donald angle even come up now?
Because Garrett changes the math. A defensive line with Garrett already projects as elite; adding a healthy Donald, even at 35, would make it potentially historic. Donald retired after the 2023 season at the top of his game, and the connection to Garrett gives the idea a thread of plausibility McVay clearly didn't want to shut down. For a team in full win-now mode, the upside of even floating it is obvious.
What did Garrett say about waiving his no-trade clause?
That the chance to immediately impact a contender drove the decision. Garrett held a no-trade clause and used it as leverage, ultimately approving a move to a Rams team built to win now rather than staying on a rebuilding Browns roster. His willingness to come to Los Angeles is what made the whole deal possible, and it aligns with McVay's framing: this was a mutual, aggressive bet on a championship window.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: McVay talks Rams' pursuit of Garrett, possible Donald return
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