Aaron Donald is back. And the coach of the first team on the Rams’ docket expects to see No. 99 on Thursday night in Melbourne.
Via Sarah Barshop of ESPN, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Sunday that he “definitely” anticipates Donald playing in the Week 1 showdown down under.
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Shanahan explained that he “wasn’t crushed” when Donald announced his return after two years of retirement, “because I decided a month ago it was happening.”
“So I prepared for that the right way, and it is what it is,” Shanahan added. “He’s a hell of a player and we’ll have our work cut out for him.”
Donald’s unexpected retirement after the 2023 season prompted cheering in the 49ers’ facility.
“I was like, ‘What the hell’s going on?'” Shanahan said. “And then I got it on my phone and it was probably the most we’ve celebrated in the offseason ever. . . . And then it was the exact opposite this year.”
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Although 49ers left tackle Trent Williams has a good chance to hold his own against new Rams defensive end Myles Garrett, rookie left guard Carver Willis could be forced to contend with Donald, in the ultimate “welcome to the NFL” moment — as Aaron Donald welcomes himself back to the league he dominated for a decade before deciding he was “full.”
Donald is hungry again. And the first of 17 courses is the 49ers.
If Donald plays. Shanahan is bracing for it.
