This season has not gone according to plan for Aaron Donald. 

When Donald first announced he was coming out of retirement at the end of August, he was supposed to be teaming up with reigning Defensive Player of the Year winner Myles Garrett to terrorize opposing quarterbacks all season long. 

Entering Week 9, the duo should have at least a dozen combined sacks by now. Instead, Garrett has been stuck on injured reserve since the Rams’ season-opening disaster against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, while Donald is still hunting his first sack, swallowing a steady diet of double-teams that were supposed to be Garrett’s problem.

But now, nearly two months later, Donald and Garrett are finally practicing together and we could see the most decorated pass rush duo in NFL history share the field together this Sunday against the Washington Commanders in the nation’s capital. 

The two barely had a chance to share the practice field in early September following Donald’s stunning return from retirement.

Garrett was protecting an ailing left knee that would eventually require surgery, while Donald was still shaking off nearly three years of rust and working his way back into football shape.

But after two consecutive days of practicing together, the Rams’ dream defensive duo finally appears to be taking shape.

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And on Thursday afternoon, the California Post spotted the two superstars sharing laughs on the practice field, looking more like a couple of kids on the playground than two future Hall of Famers preparing to terrorize NFL quarterbacks.

During last Sunday’s victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year had a golden opportunity to score his first career touchdown when a loose football bounced directly into his path.

Donald attempted to scoop it up and race toward the end zone, but the ball had other ideas. He stumbled, fell to the turf and watched helplessly as his touchdown dreams bounced out of bounds.

Garrett, watching from an exercise bike on the sideline, couldn’t contain his laughter.

Four days later, the two defensive superstars were still having fun with the play. During Thursday’s practice, Donald and Garrett reenacted the botched fumble recovery, with Garrett delivering a hilarious impersonation of Donald’s tumble to the turf.

For a Rams team whose season has been filled with injuries, frustration and missed opportunities, the sight of Donald and Garrett joking together was a welcome change.

More importantly, it offered a glimpse of something the Rams have been waiting two months to see: Two of the most dominant defensive players of their generation finally lining up alongside one another.

“It’s good to have the pieces back to the puzzle,” Donald said Thursday. “It was good to see him out there yesterday and today, looking good, looking fast. Getting to work with him in full pads and playing off each other, he looked pretty good today.”

If Garrett can return on Sunday against the Commanders it would give the Rams a defensive weapon they’ve desperately missed and could change everything for Donald. 

Opposing offensive lines have spent years building their protection schemes around stopping Donald and Garrett separately. With Garrett demanding attention off the edge, offenses would face an uncomfortable choice: Double-team Donald and leave Garrett with favorable matchups, or devote extra protection to Garrett and risk Donald wreaking havoc inside.

“If Myles is 100% ready to go and they play him this week, that’s going to be amazing for us,” Donald said. “It’s always good when you got all the pieces to the puzzle out there.”

Of course, Donald would probably settle for simply getting his hands on another loose football.

Asked to explain his failed scoop-and-score against the Chargers, the 35-year-old provided a hilarious play-by-play account.

“Boom. I seen the ball. First thing that came to my head: Touchdown. I’m going to get this ball,” Donald said. “I should have slowed down, but I felt people behind me. I don’t want to get hit in my back. That’s going to hurt.”

Instead, Donald accelerated toward the football, misjudged its bounce and wound up sprawled on the ground.

“I just looked all damn silly,” Donald said. “Then I hit the ball out, and I just laid there. I can’t believe I just did that.”

Even his older brother joined the roasting when he called him immediately after the game. 

“‘How did you miss your touchdown, man? We’ve been talking about that.’” Donald recalled his brother asking him on the phone.

Thanks to the Rams first consecutive wins on the season, everyone can laugh about the play now. However, it shouldn’t obscure the bigger picture. 

Donald returned to football after nearly three years away with visions of another championship run. Garrett’s arrival was a significant part of that promise. Instead, Garrett’s injury, a revolving door of other injured starters and a string of heartbreaking losses sent the Rams tumbling to 2-4 and last place in the NFC West.

Even with those consecutive victories restoring some optimism, Donald acknowledged Thursday that his comeback has been nothing like he envisioned.

“From the beginning, where it started, nothing played out how I thought it was,” Donald said. “But you can’t control that.”

The admission was revealing, particularly from a player who has accomplished virtually everything the sport offers.

“But we’re here, and I’m going to enjoy it,” he continued. “I’m going to enjoy the process.”

Perhaps that’s why those little, lighthearted moments on the practice field on Thursday matter.

Donald and Garrett were finally sharing a practice field again, laughing like kids over a mistake that might have haunted a younger Donald for days.

The Rams still have plenty of work to do, and Garrett’s availability Sunday remains uncertain. But after weeks of watching their championship aspirations unravel, Donald finally has reason to smile.

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