Pick your poison: Rams' Myles Garrett anticipates matchup nightmares in first game with Aaron Donald

An injured reserve stint delayed the first look at Garrett and Donald in the same lineup, but now they could dominate opposing offenses

Nov 7, 2026 at 3:38 pm ET • 3 min read

When Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett returns from injured reserve this week for his first game action since the season opener, he will line up next to defensive lineman Aaron Donald for the first time. That duo is projected to be one of the NFL's most unstoppable tandems at any position since Donald announced that he would come out of retirement for the 2026 season, and now the league will find out just how formidable it really is.

The timing of Garrett's IR stint and Donald's season debut clashed, forcing them to wait until November to suit up together. Garrett played just one game before he underwent knee surgery, and Donald entered the lineup in Week 2.

Garrett said it will be surreal to share the field with a fellow Defensive Player of the Year award winner.

"Going into this season, I never thought I'd have the chance," Garrett said ahead of Sunday's road game against the Washington Commanders. "As y'all know, he kept us in suspense for quite a while. It was very exciting to hear about that. Looking forward to the opportunity to get on the field and actually play some real snaps with him."

Garrett's arrival in Los Angeles by way of a blockbuster trade in June was a catalyst for Donald's unretirement, so it is only right that two of the most disruptive players in football history finally get the opportunity to play alongside each other. Donald has been more effective in run defense than pass rushing this season, so with Garrett (the single-season sack record holder) rejoining the fold, their skill sets should complement each other tremendously.

Both superstar defenders have commanded double teams at extreme rates throughout their careers, but opposing offensive lines might have to stay more honest with their assignments so as to prevent the other player from capitalizing on the diverted attention.

"I think offenses really have to pick their poison," Garrett said. "Who's going to be freed up this play? Either of us are pretty good at winning one-on-ones. We'll have some fun."

There is no better time than the present for Garrett to return to full strength and for this duo to join forces. The Rams are in the midst of a potential midseason turnaround after opening the year with a surprising yet immensely disappointing 2-4 record, and they need to keep the momentum rolling to fulfill their Super Bowl expectations.

How will Myles Garrett fare in his return?

At the time, it was a surprise to see Garrett held entirely in check in the season-opening blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. When the news of his knee ailment came to light, though, it explained why he was held without a single tackle in the contest. Garrett said that the knee acted up on him throughout the game and limited him from making his typical impact as a first-team All-Pro-caliber force off the edge.

Now that he is healthy, the question is just how great of an impact Garrett will make for the elite Rams defense. Every year since his rookie season, the former No. 1 overall pick has logged double-digit sacks. Last season, he broke the NFL single-season record with 23. He is also a stalwart in run defense and led the league in tackles of loss each of the last two years.

There was one sign in Week 1 that suggested Garrett will deliver his usual impact and perhaps even take another step forward in his first year with the Rams. He logged five quarterback pressures on Brock Purdy in that loss to the 49ers, good for an 18.5% pressure rate on his 39 defensive snaps. That would be the third-best mark of his career if it sustained over a full season.