Will Aaron Donald Return to the NFL This Season? (Odds)
Odds for Aaron Donald to Return to Football
The favorites to win the Super Bowl in the 2026-27 season may get even scarier. DraftKings Sportsbook currently has the Los Angeles Rams with +550 odds to win it all, and that is before the potential return of Aaron Donald. If Donald does decide to come out of retirement and rejoin his former team, expect those odds to become even shorter.
The Rams are going all-in to win this season after trading for Myles Garrett, who may be the best player in the NFL. What better way would the team have to complement that move than bringing back one of the best defensive players of all time to play alongside Garrett?
It's only a matter of will to play for Donald. He tested out his readiness with a workout for the Rams and will now take his time to make a decision. According to a market on Kalshi, the majority expect that Donald will suit up again this season.
| Yes | 78% |
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| No | 22% |
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This is a straightforward YES or NO market, but the exact wording is important. For the market to settle as YES, Aaron Donald must play at least one snap in a professional football game during the 2026-27 season. Preseason, regular-season, and playoff games all count.
Donald does not necessarily have to return to the Rams for YES to win (even though that is expectedly the only team he would sign with). If he signs with any professional team covered by the market and records a snap, it would still settle as YES. A contract signing, workout, or announcement alone would not be enough. He must appear in a game.
The Kalshi odds reflect whether traders expect Donald to play this season. The current odds are based on the money backing each outcome, with the market showing strong confidence that his retirement will end after two years.
Donald has a 78% chance of playing this season according to the market, compared to just a 22% chance that he remains retired. That is a strong lean toward a comeback, but Donald still has to decide whether pursuing another Super Bowl is worth returning to the demands of an NFL season.
Donald stepped away following the 2023 season after putting together one of the most decorated careers of any defensive player in NFL history:
- 10 Pro Bowl selections in 10 seasons
- Eight First-Team All-Pro selections
- Three Defensive Player of the Year awards
- One Super Bowl championship
Unlike many retired players linked to comeback rumors, Donald has very few doubters that he would be ready to play. He has a chance to return to Los Angeles and strengthen his resume by adding another ring.
Sports have always been a major part of Jake's life. His love for sports naturally led to a passion for sports betting, which he's been doing for 8 years. Jake holds a degree in writing from Oregon State and a journalism certificate from Palomar College. His goal has always been sports journalism, and writing in the sports betting industry allows me to combine my skills and interests.
