(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: The long-anticipated traditional media session with the press took place on Sunday, and it was definitely worth waiting for as Coach McVay held his usual post-practice media availability. Over 30 media outlets gathered to cover Coach McVay’s insights on three key topics: the roster reduction to 53 players, his remarks about a tandem featuring two of the NFL’s most elite defenders, and an avalanche of questions about the reintegration of retired player Aaron Donald.

Read more in this lengthy and detailed 2-part transcript featuring insights from Head Coach McVay and his recently unretired All-Pro and future Hall of Famer. As a Rams fan, you’re in the right place for the most up-to-date information sourced from these transcripts.

 Rams Transcripts – Head Coach Sean McVay, Defensive Lineman Aaron Donald – 8/30/26, Sunday

[Head Coach Sean McVay]

(Opening Statement)…
“These are challenging days but they’re exciting days getting down to our 53. Excited about being able to bring our 16 or 17 guys back on the practice squad tomorrow and be able to get to work with them. I’ve always looked at it like we’ve got 69 or 70, if we use the international exemption, to be able to have those guys, but feel really good about the group. As you go through top to bottom, the collective, it’s as special of a group as the individuals, but ultimately it is how we come together as a team. When you go through each position feel really grateful and each guy has a special story and has as a role that they’ve carved out. You either maintain it or you got the ability to be able to change it. And then obviously good to be able to get [DT] Aaron [Donald] back into the mix. He and I…obviously you guys know how close we are, and there has been a lot of dialogue that we’ve had. Excited to be able to just take it a day at a time. I’m not going to talk about any sort of plans. It’s going to be a day at a time for us. What does that mean for Australia? The first step was, all right if you’re coming back let us do that, let us get you out on the practice field, let us 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 is available or whether or not we think it is 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.”

(On what it was like walking around the practice field with DT Aaron Donald back on the field)
“Yeah, it is great. He means a lot to me and it is way bigger than football. There’s a lot of history. There are a lot of experiences that we’ve shared, a lot of love for each other’s families. And so I know for him to want to be able to explore this and come back into the mix, it’s a real credit to the special people that he has got a chance to be around. That’s his teammates and that’s obviously his coaches and excited to start this journey.”

(On how the conversations went with Donald prior to his decision to return)
“We had some different timelines in place and it was really like I had told you guys. Everything that I’ve said to you was on his timeline. I think he wanted to get to a point where he knows, just from his previous experiences, I want to be able to be there, be a part of the football team. I think there were some things that he wanted to be able to work through in terms of his workouts and where he felt his body was before he could comfortably get to this spot. That was really what went into it. I don’t even want to say like urgency but he and I both had an unspoken understanding like, ‘All right once we get the roster down, where are you at with it? You don’t owe us anything and no matter what there’s lot of love.’ We wanted to make sure that he felt good about doing that. He obviously is incredibly…he has priorities with his family, and so when he does something he does it all in. That’s what led to being able to get it done today.”

(On his excitement about the defense with the addition of Donald and DE Myles Garrett)
“I think you just said it. It’s the greatest team sport that there is. Obviously, Myles and Aaron get a ton of credit that’s been deserved and earned throughout the course of their career. But those other guys on the front are pretty damn good too. I think the beauty of the unit is the unit. Those guys are incredible parts of it, but so are [OLB] Byron Young and [OLB] Josiah Stewart and [DE] ‘Des’ [Desjaun] Johnson on the outside. So are [DE] Koboe Turner, [DE] Braden Fiske, [NT] Poona Ford and [DE] Tyler Davis on the inside and so that’s a pretty cool thing because you’re going to need a bunch of guys up front and those two guys in addition to those guys I just named you feel really good. It’s how do we come together as a group and how do we play great team football?”

(On Donald’s process to returning and what it’s shown him)
“I think it’s just knowing the human being. If you know anything about him, that’s just how he lives. I think he has earned the right where he doesn’t have to do this. What he’s done throughout the ten years, and I watched that he poured every ounce of his soul into this game into his teammates, and when you care as much and when you pour as much into it that’s where you can say, ‘I’m full and I’m complete after ten years.’ So really, we’re having honest dialogue about, ‘Yeah you’re capable of doing it. Where are you at with this?’ It’s more about knowing the human being and what he’s about and being able to speak to each other where you can remove your personal bias as the Rams Head Coach. Of course you want him back, but I know him well enough and we know each other well enough to know, ‘All right if we’re going to do this is what we think it looks like and this is the feel and the intuition that we both have about it.’”

(On the reaction from the team when Donald announced his return)
“What would you guess? Were you excited? You guys had a little more bounce in your step out here today. I think people were excited. I think it’s because of the caliber of teammate that he is. Obviously, he is an incredibly special player, but you know him intimately about how he moves… I think what’s cool is… I mean there are a lot of guys he has never played with. But Kobie Turner and Byron Young, their rookie years, they know what it’s like. [OL] Steve Avila saw him when he was a rookie. [WR] Puka [Nacua] knows. There are guys that have played with him, [TE Tyler] Higbee obviously and [OL] Coleman [Shelton] some of those guys, but there are a lot of new faces. I think he’s excited to be able to model the way by showing. He’s always been a guy that when he speaks people listen, but he’s the epitome of seeing is better than said. People were excited and what he knows is a big part of his influence on how we operate here. It’s about the work. Hard work pays off and just because we have great individuals doesn’t do […] for us. We’ve got to be able to put it together and he understands that as much as anybody.”

(On if he had to give Donald space to think about the decision)
“I think I know him well enough. I know what you’re asking, what the question is. He is the epitome of a man’s man and he is not going to make decisions unless he feels like he is able to do it at the standards that only he has for himself that are just different than anybody can relate to. But I think there is an understanding there is an appreciation for him and so that is why you guys have heard me consistently talk about ‘on his timeline’. I think he’s got enough respect and appreciation for this game and for his teammates about, ‘All right at what point does it get to where now I need to be able to make a decision.’ I think it’s great.”

(On whether he was surprised when the process of Donald’s return started to become a possibility)
“Yeah, I was because I know he meant what he said when he ended up stepping away from the game and he was at the pinnacle and obviously still had a bunch of great ball left, but when you care so much and you give so much it takes a certain toll on you. He’s earned the right to be able to live an amazing life that he has experienced for the last couple years. He’s an incredibly committed father and husband. He has four beautiful kids and he is a great son and a great brother. And then he has a bunch of cool different business ventures that he has just stepped into so he’s established and earned the right to be able to live the way that he is and I think it is cool that he decided he wanted to be able to do this. He is one-of-one.”

(On what the energy was like in the first team meeting with the addition of Donald)
“I think it was good, but here is what I would tell you and I felt really good about this football team. Obviously, Aaron is going to add tremendous value, but you feel really good about the collective. With Aaron especially, but without him as well. We’ve had a lot of work. There has been a lot of improvement and guys were excited. But what I think they all understand too is it’s awesome that this game has as much attention as it does and people care about it, but our players understand and there is an appropriate humility that this doesn’t do anything for you, whoever the favorites are, whoever is talked about, offseason all that. None of that means a damn thing. We have to put the work in. We have to stay humble. We have to handle the adversity that’s inevitable that we’re going to face. If things go the way that we want, we stay humble and we keep going to work. And when they don’t, let us really lean in and see what the heck we’re about when that does happen because it is going to happen. I’m excited to navigate those challenges with this group because when you go through the individuals…I’ve been doing this…I feel really fortunate to be in year 10 and top to bottom this is the best group that I’ve been around in terms of the individuals. And what is cool is you almost feel that way each and every year. Now what does that mean? That means that we have the capability to come together. But it is the greatest team sport that there is. There’s so much that goes into it. There’s so much that happens that is out of our control, but let us lean into the things that we do control and let’s be proud of who we become in the midst of the journey. That will also give us the best chance to achieve the outcomes that we want to have. I believe that in every part of my being, especially from some of the different experiences that I’ve shared openly with you guys. That’s what we’re going to be about, and I can’t wait until we’re tested.”

(On whether he’s addressed with the players the travel plans for Australia)
“I haven’t done that yet, so that means I’m not talking to you about it either.”

(On if he has any timeline for when he might do that)
“Yeah, I’ll probably do it the week of the game so don’t ask me until then. Here’s what I would tell you though. I know we’ve laughed and had some good fun interactions about it, but I do want to be able…I think they have a loose idea of what we’re doing but I do still think it is appropriate in terms of the trajectory. I want to be able to talk to them about it, but we’re leaving later than most people would probably expect.”

(On what the emotions are like cutting down to the 53-man roster and if it matters how much Donald plays at the beginning of the season)
“We’ll see. I think what we want to be able to do is…I think there are steps and there are levels to it. So, number one all right do you want to be able to play? If the answer is yes, then what does that ramp up look like? What does it look like for you to even you know? He some individual stuff, but what does it look like to get you into team settings, taking on double teams, doing the things that are required of you playing this game. There’s a physicality and there’s an understanding that he has that’s way more nuanced than I do. But it’ll be something that will feel out one day at a time and I think that’ll give us clarity as we truly just stay in the moment and see what that looks like. The other part of your question is this, what’s good about that part of the question is a lot of the conversations, even though it is not ideal to tell guys are on the 53, a lot of them entail we want you back on the practice squad. I’ve been very open that attrition is a very real thing in this league and so I’ve looked at it as we have 69 guys on our football team and it will be 70 because we will use the international exception. So, it’s tough and it is a big deal to these guys and you don’t ever want to take that lightly. If they hear nothing else, you want to be able to say appreciation, empathy but then also clarity of, ‘Hey why is this decision made where are some areas of improvement.’ I think that’s really important. That was something that I probably didn’t do as good a job of and I still am always learning about how do you thread the needle of having a hard conversation given the truth so that there can be clarity of why decisions made, but doing it in a way that disarms guys and inspires them to want to be able to improve. But it is a big deal to these guys and it is a big deal to us. What I think I really appreciate is the consistent messaging, even in some of the hard conversations, about how much they love their teammates, how much they appreciate the vibe that they feel from their position coaches and their coordinators. That’s what makes me feel grateful to be a part of this thing with great players that are really good people, more importantly, and the same thing with the coaches.”

[DT Aaron Donald]

(On when he first thought about coming out of retirement)
“That was a long while ago. That was a long process. Just having conversations with Sean, obviously. Seeing what was being done with this team, the pieces that were getting brought here. I was like, ‘Okay, it’s a complete team,’ and then you see other moves they [made], and I was like, ‘Okay, I wish I was still out there playing right about now.’ You have conversations and then start bringing it to fruition, right? Then I was starting to put myself in a position to train and get my body to a certain point where I felt good, and see how I move and see if I still can do certain things. I felt pretty good, man. Through my training for about 13, 14 weeks of just nonstop grinding to get to where we at right now. Aaron [is] back playing football, I guess.”

(On conversations with his wife, Erica, leading up to his decision to unretire)
“Yeah, well [there were] a lot of conversations. I think my wife played a huge part of me making this decision period because if the wife wasn’t happy, it wasn’t going to get done. I got to make sure that the household was good, the kids were okay with it all. Then having the hard conversations, figuring things out, what I wanted to do. If I was to do it, how would we do it? My wife was on board. She said, ‘If you want to do this, [I’m] with [you] 100 percent,’ and there were days when I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ She talked to me enough to be like, ‘You want to do this. Don’t make no decisions faster than what you need to make a decision. Take your time.’ She played a huge part of me figuring this out because it really wasn’t an easy decision. It took a lot of hard work, a lot of long conversations with a lot of different people, but I felt good enough to make the decision to come back and do this.”

(On the moment he realized he wanted to come out of retirement)
“To be honest with you, it was it was on and off for a while, but I think we knew this decision about two weeks [ago]. I knew the world was saying all types of different things and nobody knew what was going on, but I knew for two weeks. Then, I talked to Sean every single week, damn near every day. We stayed in contact. I gave him all my updates, how I was feeling, how things were going. I know he got annoyed with [media] asking all the questions in camp every damn day. I felt bad for him at that point, but I was doing everything I needed to do to give myself peace of mind and see if I can do it. [There] wasn’t [any] rushing. I just wanted to take my time and make the right decision because once you choose to come back, you’re all the way back in. You can’t be halfway in, you [have to] be all the way in it. I had to get to that point where I felt like I’m 100 percent committed to playing football again because the last two years have been amazing. Building things that I’ve been building, working on what I’ve been working on, working from home, and jumping back in the fire playing football again. So I really had to sit back, think about it, not just from the physical aspect [but] from the mental aspect as well. Everything just played out how it played out and we’re here now.”

(On the most emotional part of making the decision to unretire)
“It felt weird coming in and knowing that I [am] an actual football [player]. Obviously, I’m always around but to be like, ‘Okay, I’m on a team.’ It felt a little weird for me. But it felt good to be in my first team meeting today. It was a long one too, an hour and 20 minutes. So it felt good to be back around the guys, getting to see the guys in the locker room. On the field, I got to do some individuals today. I’m starting to feel a little bit more acclimated as a football player. It ain’t as weird to me now because I got a little day under my belt.”

(On his expectations for himself and whether he plans to play Week 1 against the 49ers)
“I’m here to just go day-by-day, work. I’m not here to be given [anything]. [I’m here] to earn any position that I’m in. Whatever that is, whatever my role is, I’m going to earn it. So day-by-day, just work, grind, get myself to where I need to be at the level that I want to play at and that’s all I can do. Ain’t rushing [anything]. Like I said, just continue to stack them days and see where we [are] at.”

(On how much the acquisition of DE Myles Garrett influenced his decision to return)
“That was a huge part. I think the D-line group alone. You talk about the interior guys and then you got ‘B.Y.’ [Outside Linebacker Byron Young] and then you bring guys like Myles Garrett out here. I already thought it was a stacked D-line with [Former Rams DE Jared] Verse, obviously things transpired and happened. Then you bring a guy like Myles Garrett, a generational talent, and [I was] like, ‘That can be fun.’ Obviously, what they did on the back end bringing certain pieces they need at the secondary. I think this is a complete team with me here or without me here so for me to even have the opportunity to be a part of this, be with this team, I take nothing for granted. It’s a blessing to be retired from the game for two years and have the opportunity to come back and be a part of something special. Nothing is promised, nothing is guaranteed, but I’m trying to get to that ultimate goal day-by-day, week-by-week, and just stack them days.”

(On whether it will be a challenge to get back into his usual mindset after a two-year hiatus)
“To be honest with you, I’ve kind of been in a football mindset the last 14 weeks, grinding and things. If anything, it’s just getting back on that grass and knocking the rust off as far as playing football again, 11-on-11, working my eyes, getting a feel for the game, certain reaction things that made me who I am. I put myself in the best position, the best way I can with training to get to where I’m at now. The only thing I can do now is play 11-on-11 and knock the rust off, get going, get caught up with the speed of the game, and the rest is the rest. But do I feel like I can play at a high level? Yes. Do I feel like I can still be myself? 100 percent. If I didn’t feel like that, I wouldn’t be here. So from everything I did, from training with just conditioning to the football transition and doing football drills and things in that nature. I recorded everything. I studied myself to a T. I watched every movement, every cut, every hit flip. In my opinion, I don’t see [a] difference. If [there is], it looked a little cleaner to me [laughter]. Two years, [my] body feels a little different, but it’s still got to go out there, play 11-on-11, get myself going and get myself where I need to be as far as playing football again.”

(On the most memorable reaction from a teammate when he officially signed with the Rams)
“Oh, I don’t know. Yeah, I don’t know, guys, it wasn’t really… Just being here is pretty cool. I’m getting to know some of the guys because I only played with a handful of these guys so it’s pretty much a new team. Building these relationships is important. I’m getting to know these guys, them getting to know me. Obviously being out there, getting to see how they play, how I play, start dishing off each other like that. It just feels good to be here.”

(On his kids’ reaction to him unretiring)
“My kids wanted me to play!”

(On how far away he was from being in NFL shape and the work it took to get back into NFL shape)
“Well, everybody knows I kept myself in shape, lifting weights, conditioning. I did condition myself. I did run full speed on the treadmill, versa, all that. It was a little different transition into the grass again, running, cutting. The first day I got to train with my speed trainer that trained with me since high school. He looked at me and said, ‘You ain’t missed a step.’ That’s why it was important for me to work with a guy that knows me, that’s been around me since day one, since high school. Just to get his advice of how I’m looking, what he’s thinking. Obviously over time, I got better, got a little quicker. I started feeling better, the second wind started kicking in a little differently. After you get to that point, that second wind kicks in, now it’s time to transition and start doing some football stuff. A long process, but it was my process that I needed to do to make myself feel like I can do it.”

(On his conversations with DE Myles Garrett)
“Yeah, I talked to Myles through text messages a few times. I got to talk a little bit with him today, so yeah. We’re teammates now so we’re going to get to know each other a lot closer. We’ll be around each other a lot more and hopefully we do some special things together.”

(On the word ‘legacy’ and what excites him about this next chapter)
“Just being here and being a part of this team, potentially doing something special. That’s what it’s about. I think the Super Bowl being back at SoFi [Stadium] excites you too, but it’s a long process to even get to that point. You can’t jump past the process and the grind that you got to go through to get to that. Obviously, that’s the end goal you want to [get to], but I’m just present, and I’m glad to be here, and I’m just going to work, get myself where I need to be, earn my position wherever that is, and whatever my role is, and just do it at a high level.”

–RAMS–