Will Aaron Donald play vs. 49ers in Week 1? Rams’ Sean McVay provides update

Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams made it official on Sunday. After considerable speculation about whether the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year would end his retirement and return to a defensive front that now includes Myles Garrett, the veteran defensive tackle signed a one-year deal with his former team, putting his retirement on hold.

The big question now is whether the San Francisco 49ers will have to face Donald in Week 1 when they take on the Rams in Melbourne, Australia.

While it seems conceivable that Donald could play on a limited snap count in his first game back, Rams head coach Sean McVay isn't revealing much about the team's plans. Instead, McVay emphasized that the situation remains fluid as Donald works his way back into football shape.

"I'm not going to talk about any sort of plans," McVay told reporters. "It's going to be a day at a time for us. What does that mean for Australia? The first step was, 'Alright, if you're coming back, let's do that. Let's get you out on the practice field. Let's get you acclimated to your teammates, to your coaches.'

"And then we'll see what that ramp-up period looks like, whether or not he's available or whether or not we think it's best to be able to play him in Australia. I think the best way to do it is take it one day at a time, but we're obviously excited to be able to have him back."

Donald spent all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Rams before retiring following the 2023 campaign. During his illustrious career, he recorded 111 sacks while earning 10 Pro Bowl selections and eight first-team All-Pro honors.

The 49ers will hold two full practices this week—on Monday and Wednesday—along with a walkthrough on Tuesday before traveling to Australia to prepare for their international Week 1 matchup against the Rams.

With Donald's availability still uncertain, the 49ers may have to wait to learn whether they will face one of the NFL's all-time most dominant defensive players in his first game back from retirement.