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Aaron Donald will not travel to Australia for the Los Angeles Rams' first game of the NFL season after his decision to come out of retirement.
Donald shocked the NFL when he retired after the 2023 season, but after skipping two campaigns he has now decided he will play for the Rams again in 2026.
However, the franchise will be without him in Week 1 as they face a grueling flight to Australia to face the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday.
He will not travel to the game and will be inactive as the Rams give him more time to get up to speed before his return.
'He's attacked this the right way, but it would have been a really quick turnaround,' head coach Sean McVay explained. He said Donald has been 'doing a great job' and anticipated he will be ready to play 'sooner rather than later'.
The Rams have taken a wildly different approach to the international game to the 49ers. While San Francisco traveled last week to acclimatize, the Rams are opting to travel as late as possible.
Aaron Donald will not travel to Australia with the Los Angeles Rams team to face the 49ers
Donald is working up towards his first NFL game in three years after his comeback decision
The team practiced on Tuesday morning and will leave on Tuesday night, landing in Melbourne on Thursday morning then playing at 10:35 am local time on Friday before immediately returning back to the United States.
They will travel over 15,000 miles and cross seven time zones for the game, with Donald not part of the drastic travel plans.
When they return, the Rams host the New York Giants on Monday Night Football on September 21, a game that could mark Donald's first NFL game in three years.
He has reportedly signed a one-year, $20 million contract potentially worth a maximum of $30 million if incentives are met.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has talked up the impact of Donald's return, after his return was officially confirmed last month.
'Yeah, I think it carries a ton of weight,' said Stafford. 'Obviously, he's a guy who's accomplished everything you can accomplish on the defensive side of the ball in this sport.
'One of the best, if not the best, when he was out there playing for us. I'm happy to have him back, happy that he's excited about it.
'I know our guys on our team, in our locker room and our coaching staff, everybody's excited to have a player of his caliber and like you said, a person of his caliber as well. I'm just happy to have him around the building and back out there.'
