Cooper Kupp Tells Aaron Donald He's 'Not Allowed' to Come Out of Retirement

Aaron Donald is teasing a return to the Los Angeles Rams, but Cooper Kupp is trying to discourage his former teammate.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp leaves the field after defeating the Los Angeles Rams. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The NFC West got much tougher this week when the Los Angeles Rams traded for two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. That will make it tougher for the Seattle Seahawks to repeat as division champions and those odds could become even lower if superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald decided to come out of retirement.

Donald, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 10-time Pro Bowler, retired following the 2023 season. He was still playing at a high level, recording 53 tackles and eight sacks that year. Now at 35 years old, Donald has teased a return following the Rams' addition of Garrett. Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay even said the team would be interested in him returning, but one member of their 2021 championship team isn't interested in seeing Donald run it back.

Cooper Kupp, who signed with the Seahawks in 2025, was on The Rich Eisen Show, and said he reached out to Donald about a possible return, telling his former teammate that he's "not allowed" to come back.

"I already texted him, and told him he's not allowed, so we're good," Kupp said to Eisen. "I just texted Aaron and said, 'Don't even think about it,' and left it at that. So, we're good. I'm not worried about it, because he's not. Because I told him he can't. I already nipped it in the bud. No one has to worry."

Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald were among NFL's best in their prime

Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald reacts after a sack against the Cincinnati Bengals. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Kupp was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Eastern Washington and spent eight years in L.A. For seven of those seasons, Donald was one of his teammates, and the best defender on the team.

A first-round pick out of Pittsburgh in 2014, Donald began playing for the Rams while they were still in St. Louis. He spent 10 years with the franchise and had 534 tackles and 111 sacks. He's third in franchise history, behind Jack Youngblood (151.5) and Deacon Jones (159.5).

While Donald was one of the best defenders in the league during his prime, the same could be said of Kupp. In 2021, he led the league with 145 receptions for 1,947 yards, and 16 touchdowns. In Seattle, he wasn't the same explosive player, recording 47 receptions for 593 yards and two touchdowns, but he still has been a positive influence on the team and displayed reliable hands. That said, if he can keep Donald from returning, that might be his greatest contribution.

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