Rams rookie has plans to work out with Aaron Donald

Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald (99) before Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Donald may have retired after the 2023 season, but he is still keeping fit, and will help at least one Los Angeles Rams player do the same.

Rams rookie defensive lineman Braden Fiske, a second-round draft pick selected partly to replace Donald, admitted in a recent interview that he has been in contact with Donald and the two plan to work out together before the start of training camp.

“Not really noteworthy advice,” Fiske said, via DJ Siddiqi of Forbes . “We’re just going to get some workouts in during the next couple of weeks before training camp, so that’ll be cool.”

Fiske made clear, however, that he is not necessarily trying to outright be Donald, especially as a rookie.

“I have to be me,” Fiske added . “I have to build my own legacy and that’s what I’m looking forward to. I don’t feel like I’m really filling shoes, but I have to create my own shoes. That’s kind of what it is. I’m just excited to be a part of it and I know that’ll kind of always be the comparison of who’s going to fill his shoes, but somebody has to do it.”

Perhaps the most intriguing takeaway here is that Donald is still working out at something similar to the level that an active NFL player would. The Rams harbor some pipe dreams about convincing him to come back under the right circumstances, and while there is no indication that is on the table, it might encourage those dreams.

Donald retired at the end of the 2023 season, though he only turned 33 in May. Even if he does not play again, he at least seems invested in helping to make sure his replacement thrives.

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