Hall of Famer Terrell Davis: How Aaron Donald Would Impact Rams’ Title Chances

Rich wanted a projection, so he handed Terrell Davis the hypothetical everyone in Los Angeles is already living in: Aaron Donald says yes, and there is Myles Garrett next to him on the Rams defensive line.

Davis stopped him first. "I thought he said that," Davis said. "So it's not official."

It is not. Donald is going through a process, as Rich put it, and even Rich admitted he takes Donald's physical readiness for granted from the comfort of a chair in Los Angeles. But he does think it is real.

Davis is not so quick to pencil it in, and his hesitation is the most interesting part of the segment. He is not questioning the talent or the work ethic. He is questioning the difference between two kinds of shape.

"I know Aaron Donald, I know he's always in the gym, I know he's always ready," Davis said. "But there's a different workout with you working out to prepare for football versus playing football. And he knows that. He recognizes that."

That is a Hall of Fame running back drawing a line most fans never think about. Gym ready is not football ready, and Donald would be returning after a longer layoff than people realize. His last season was 2023. He has missed two, and by the time he takes a snap it will have been three.

Then Davis granted the premise anyway, and the answer got loud.

"If we get the same Aaron Donald that left three years ago, and you got Myles Garrett, I don't know," Davis said. "You may have to pencil in the Rams in the Super Bowl."

Rich immediately flagged who would hate that sentence most. Seattle fans, he said, will get pissed hearing it.

"And they should," Davis said. "That's the thing."

Rich pushed further. Imagine being the defending Super Bowl champion, watching the team you beat add somebody spectacular and get a Hall of Famer in waiting back, and hearing the league declare you have no chance to repeat.

Davis did not flinch. He would take it.

"I think I would thank you for that," he said. "We need it. We need the motivation. You pay for that kind of motivation. So if I'm the Seahawks, I am thanking all the media, all the news outlets, all the pundits. Thank you for that fuel. Appreciate it."

That is the part champions understand and everyone else forgets. Praise in July is worth nothing.

"You don't want to be praised until you're holding that Lombardi trophy," Davis said. "Until the confetti's coming down. That's when the praise comes in. Before that, you don't care."

Two things can be true. The Rams with Donald and Garrett on the same line would be the most compelling defensive front in football, and Seattle would happily print out every word of that and tape it to a locker.