Donald Out Week 1 in Australia

Aaron Donald will not play Week 1 and is not traveling to Australia. Rams coach Sean McVay said the star defensive tackle is staying in Los Angeles while Los Angeles opens against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne on Thursday night (Netflix), per Rams.com, Reuters Field Level Media, and ESPN.

Donald came out of retirement Aug. 30 after two seasons away. He did individual work that day and did not hit 11-on-11 until Sept. 6. McVay called the Australia turnaround too quick after two years off and said the team is choosing what is best for Donald and the roster.

Ramp-up over Melbourne

McVay still sounded bullish on the timing. "I think he'll be ready to go sooner rather than later," he said, while pointing at Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, Tyler Davis, and Ty Hamilton to hold the middle until Donald is cleared. Donald last played in the 2023 playoffs (January 2024 wild-card loss at Detroit).

The other edge news is brighter. Myles Garrett (knee) is "ready to go" for his Rams debut after load-management days, a board we covered when Garrett got the Week 1 green light. So Melbourne still gets a new pass-rush headliner. It just will not be the three-time Defensive Player of the Year on the flight.

Next real look: Giants at SoFi

If Donald sits Week 1, the next home chance is Monday Night Football on Sept. 21 against the New York Giants at SoFi Stadium. Miss that, and the home calendar stretches. For fantasy IDP and betting boards, treat Donald as out for Australia and watch midweek practice notes before the Giants game.

For Rams fans, this is the patient version of a comeback. Two years off, a late August return, and a long-haul opener on the other side of the world was always a brutal ask. Garrett and the interior group carry Thursday. Donald's debut shifts to whenever McVay likes the conditioning tape.

San Francisco still brings Nick Bosa (expected to play) and a thin injury board of its own into Melbourne, so the Netflix opener is not a soft landing even without Donald. Los Angeles is betting that a rested Donald in Week 2 beats a half-ready Donald on a 15-hour flight. Melbourne still matters. The reunion just waits one more week.