Garrett was placed on IR after the Rams determined that surgery was necessary to address his knee issue. The move guaranteed that he would miss at least four games, including the Week 4 meeting with Philadelphia and the upcoming Monday Night Football matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

His absence is a major blow for Los Angeles, especially with Aaron Donald also ruled out against the Eagles because of a back injury. The Rams will therefore be without both of their biggest defensive stars as they attempt to slow down Philadelphia on the road.

When will Myles Garrett return for LA Rams?

Myles Garrett is facing at least a six-week recovery after his knee surgery. The Rams have been very cautious about putting a specific return date on their star defender.

Sean McVay previously said Garrett was feeling good following surgery, but the Rams do not intend to rush him back. The team wants him to be fully prepared to practice and perform at the level expected from one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive players before activating him.

Reports have indicated that Garrett could potentially return around Week 8, with November 8 against the Washington Commanders emerging as a possible target if his recovery continues as expected. However, that timeline is not official, and Los Angeles has emphasized that his recovery will determine when he returns.

That means the Rams will have to continue without Garrett for the time being. His absence against Philadelphia is particularly significant because Los Angeles is already missing Donald, leaving the defensive front without two of its most disruptive players.

The Rams will need other members of their defensive line and pass rush to step up while Garrett continues his recovery. With the season moving forward and difficult games ahead, getting their star defender back healthy could become one of the team’s biggest priorities as Los Angeles tries to remain in the playoff race.

Key takeaways

• Myles Garrett is sidelined on injured reserve following recent knee surgery.
• Placement on injured reserve guarantees a minimum four-game absence.
• A potential return target is the November 8 game against the Washington Commanders.

“Myles is good. I’ve seen him in there, he physically looks good,” McVay said recently to the press. “He’s got a good look in his eye. It’s been good having him in and out of a lot of the meetings while he’s attacking his rehab. He’s making good progress, but as far as a specific timeline, I’m not ready to give you guys that. As soon as I have those things I’ll give you guys updates.”

Garrett was placed on injured reserve after undergoing surgery when he was unable to fully recover from a knee injury. Given their current situation, the Rams urgently need their stars back, as they will also be without Aaron Donald in Week 4.

What injury did Garrett suffer?

Myles Garrett had a rough start to his time with the Rams, playing through a nagging knee issue in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers that clearly held him back—he ended up putting up a complete stat sheet donut with 0 tackles, 0 sacks, and 0 QB pressures on 27 pass-rush snaps.

After pushing through the pain and admitting he was far from 100%, he underwent minor arthroscopic knee surgery right after the game to clean up persistent swelling that had bothered him since training camp. The procedure landed him on injured reserve, meaning Los Angeles will be without its star pass rusher until at least mid-season while he fully heals.

The Rams need Garrett back

Sean McVay’s defense desperately needs Garrett back because their pass rush has been completely neutralized through the first three weeks. Even though the unit ranks well in total yards allowed, they’ve managed just 3 total sacks over three games—putting them near the absolute bottom of the NFL (tied for 28th).

Without Garrett’s game-disrupting presence on the edge to force quick throws, opposing quarterbacks are comfortable in the pocket, which has bled into critical situations—allowing a high 43.6% third-down conversion rate.

For a team sitting at 1-2 and relying on young defensive linemen to carry the load, getting their $210M star back is the only way to re-establish a true lethal edge and take the heat off their secondary.

Key takeaways

• Sean McVay announced no exact timeline for Myles Garrett’s return from injury.
• The star pass rusher underwent minor arthroscopic knee surgery after Week 1.
• LA’s defense has recorded just 3 total sacks through three games.

Garrett’s absence is a significant setback for the Rams, who rely heavily on his ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks and disrupt offenses. His injury comes early in the season and that provides some margin ahead of a possible playoff run.

The defensive end is expected to miss multiple weeks, meaning the Rams will have to adjust their pass rush while he recovers. With Garrett unavailable, a great update for LA is that Aaron Donald is ready to go after his debut in a win over the New York Giants.

When will Myles Garrett play again?

Myles Garrett will be out at least four games after being placed on injured reserve following his knee injury. The designation means he cannot return until he has missed the required number of games, leaving the Rams without their defensive star for an extended period.

The initial recovery timeline remains uncertain, but reports indicate that Garrett could miss approximately six weeks. The Rams have not provided a definitive return date, and his availability will ultimately depend on how his recovery progresses.

Garrett’s earliest possible return would come after serving the mandatory injured reserve period, although that does not guarantee he will be ready to play immediately. November 1 in Week 8 against the Chargers could be a realistic date for his long awaited comeback.

Key takeaways

• Myles Garrett won’t play for Rams against Broncos.
• Garrett was placed on injured reserve. He’ll miss at least four weeks.
• Good update for Rams is the presence of Aaron Donald.

Garrett will not play against the Giants today because he has been placed on injured reserve following knee surgery. The 30-year-old went under the knife after the Rams‘ season opener and was subsequently moved to injured reserve. The transaction means he will miss at least four games, although the team has not established a firm timetable for his return.

Head coach Sean McVay has since maintained that the team will not rush the veteran pass rusher back and wants to evaluate his recovery before setting a definitive return date. At least the Rams enter the game against the Giants with Matthew Stafford at quarterback.

More bad news for the Rams

Receiver Puka Nacua appeared on the injury report with a hip issue. According to a Sunday report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Nacua’s status is trending unfavorably ahead of Monday night’s game against the Giants, which would mark two major absences for the Rams.

Thus, in under two weeks, the Rams lost their season opener — with virtually every player underperforming — then lost arguably the NFL’s best defensive player for a stretch, and could now be without one of the league’s top offensive players against the Giants.

The Rams have already watched the Seahawks and 49ers start 2-0 in the NFC West. Falling to 0-2 in one of the NFL’s toughest divisions would put them in an early, unexpected bind. However, with two top NFL players out and a Giants squad that showed major improvement in its debut, that outcome is a distinct possibility for the Rams early in what was supposed to be a championship season.

Garrett, a key offseason acquisition

The timing of the injury is especially significant, as Garrett was one of the Rams’ most important offseason signings. Los Angeles acquired the standout pass rusher from the Cleveland Browns with expectations that he would become a cornerstone of its defensive line and significantly boost its pass rush.

However, Garrett’s knee issues had already impacted his preparation during training camp. Despite dealing with the discomfort, he played in the season opener against the 49ers, though his performance was limited as Los Angeles struggled throughout the match.

Key takeaways

• Myles Garrett was placed on injured reserve following knee surgery after the season opener.
• The Rams won’t count on Garrett against the Giants on Monday Night Football.
• Garrett will miss at least four games, without a set return timetable.

Garrett had already been expected to miss the matchup with the Giants after the Rams announced that he would undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. However, his official placement on injured reserve now makes his absence certain and gives Los Angeles a clearer timeline for his recovery.

The timing is particularly significant for the Rams because Garrett was one of the biggest additions to their defense during the offseason. After acquiring him from the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles expected him to become a centerpiece of its pass rush, but the knee issue limited him throughout training camp and ultimately affected his performance in the season opener.

When will Myles Garrett return with LA Rams?

The Rams’ decision means Myles Garrett will miss at least four games, including Monday night’s game against the Giants. Los Angeles will also be without its star pass rusher against the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills before he becomes eligible to return in Week 6.

Garrett’s injury became a major concern after the Rams’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. He played despite the knee issue but finished without a tackle in Los Angeles’ 27-7 loss, later acknowledging that he was not playing at the level he expected from himself.

The Rams subsequently determined that surgery was the right course of action. Head coach Sean McVay has said the team does not yet have a definitive timetable for Garrett’s return beyond the four-game minimum associated with injured reserve, meaning his recovery will have to be monitored before Los Angeles knows exactly when he can come back.

Aaron Donald’s possible return with Rams

Garrett’s absence also puts even more attention on Aaron Donald as the future Hall of Fame defensive lineman continues working toward his return to the NFL. Donald did not travel with the Rams to Australia for the season opener, but he has been preparing for a possible comeback against the Giants.

That does not mean Donald is guaranteed to play Monday night. McVay has continued to emphasize that the Rams are taking a separate approach with Donald and will determine his status based on his progression. Still, with Garrett now officially unavailable, having Donald back would give Los Angeles another elite presence along the defensive front.

For the Giants, Garrett’s absence removes one of the most dangerous pass-rushing threats they could have faced Monday night. But with Donald potentially returning and the Rams playing their first home game of the season, New York will still have a major challenge waiting at SoFi Stadium.

After the significant setback, head coach Sean McVay addressed the media regarding the timeline for Garrett’s recovery. According to Nate Atkins on X, McVay stated that he is uncertain about how long Garrett will be out following his knee surgery, though it is confirmed that Garrett will miss at least four games while on injured reserve.

Further explaining the decision to hold back on a definitive recovery timeline, Stu Jackson reported on X that McVay wants to wait until he has all the post-surgery information before providing a clearer estimate.

What happened to Garrett?

Prominent edge rusher Myles Garrett began experiencing knee discomfort and swelling during training camp, which forced him to miss most of the team’s practice sessions in the weeks leading up to the season opener. However, Garrett failed to register a single tackle and looked well below his usual standard during Friday’s embarrassing loss to the 49ers in Australia.

The 30-year-old Garrett will miss next Monday’s home game against the New York Giants, road matchups against Denver and Philadelphia, and a home contest against the Buffalo Bills before becoming eligible to return. McVay offered no estimated timeline for his return.

“It’s all contingent on how do things go [Monday],” McVay said. “But I think it would be unfair to him, without having the totality of all the information, to put any sort of timeline on it.”

The decision made by Garrett

Garrett, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, played only 40 of 65 snaps against the 49ers. McVay said the decision to pursue surgery was made after consulting with Garrett immediately after the game.

“We thought we were doing the right thing,” McVay said of the Rams’ attempt to manage the situation. “In hindsight, you’ll always be able to learn from it. I’ll never hang onto whether you want to say it was a mistake or just different things to be able to kind of change course.”

With Garrett out, the Rams could use a spark for a defense that allowed three touchdown passes and 174 rushing yards against the 49ers. The 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals all won their openers, putting the Rams in last place in the NFC West. While it remains early in the season, the road to a spot in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium suddenly appears more challenging.

Tom Pelissero reported the latest update on Garrett’s condition, revealing that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year had been dealing with lower-leg pain and was not himself during Thursday’s 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The expectation, however, is that the Rams could get their superstar back relatively quickly.

“Rams star Myles Garrett will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his ailing knee and is headed to injured reserve. Garrett has been dealing with lower-leg pain and wasn’t himself in Thursday’s opener. The hope is he’s back in four weeks.”

When will Myles Garrett play for Rams?

Myles Garrett is out at least a month with the Rams. The unexpected injury is particularly damaging because Los Angeles already entered the season without Aaron Donald. The future Hall of Famer had come out of retirement after the Rams acquired Garrett, but McVay decided not to bring Donald to Australia for the opener as the team took a cautious approach with his comeback. Now, after one game, the Rams have lost Garrett as well.

As a consequence, the biggest question surrounding the Rams is no longer simply when Garrett will return. It is whether his absence could change the timeline for Aaron Donald. Donald was already expected to make his comeback at some point early in the season, and Garrett’s injury suddenly makes his presence much more important to a defense that struggled to slow down San Francisco.

Los Angeles built one of the NFL’s most intimidating defensive fronts around the idea of having Garrett and Donald together. Garrett was supposed to provide elite edge pressure while Donald would bring his interior dominance, creating problems for opposing offensive lines from multiple directions. With Garrett now expected to miss at least several weeks, the Rams could have even more reason to want Donald back on the field as soon as he is physically ready.

Still, the Rams cannot afford to rush Donald simply because Garrett is injured. He has not played in an NFL game since January 2024 and only recently returned from retirement, meaning his conditioning and readiness remain more important than any immediate roster need.

But after the loss in Australia and now Garrett’s surgery, the pressure surrounding Donald’s comeback has changed dramatically. If he is ready to play, the Rams may have a much bigger reason to put him back on the field sooner rather than later.

Garrett was dealing with a knee injury ahead of the Rams’ game vs. 49ers. He said he was “the worst version” of himself in Thursday’s game in Australia. Hence, he was clear on stating that his goal ahead of the Giants game is to “get healthy.”

While Garrett still managed to play on 40 snaps, he only generated three pressures and fail to even touch 49ers’ QB Brock Purdy. Garrett was neutralized by Trent Williams during the game.

The good thing for Garrett vs NY Giants

There is a silver lining. First, the Rams have a long week to rest and recover, as they will play the Giants until Week 2’s Monday Night Football. Hence, Garrett will have more than a week to heal up.

Second of all, while the Giants have a great left tackle in Andrew Thomas, he is no Trent Williams. After all, Williams is a certified first-ballot Hall of Famer. It will always be a tough matchup. Thomas is very good, but a healed up Garrett could still win that battle in the trenches.

The Rams looked deflated as a whole

The debacle wasn’t solely on Myles Garrett’s bad game. The team as a whole was not playing at its top level. The Rams arrived in Australia 28 hours before the game and while they had their strategy to be at top shape, they looked jet-lagged.

The offense looked stagnant, the defense couldn’t get to pressure the quarterback, and as the game continued to move on, the Rams looked tired and less physical. Against the Giants, a bounce back week must be in order.

The Rams have assembled one of the NFL’s most talented teams. On offense, the Rams feature an explosive core led by Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams, and Puka Nacua, while the defense has been transformed after the blockbuster trade that brought Garrett to California.

General manager Les Snead once again embraced his aggressive roster-building philosophy, sacrificing premium draft capital to acquire elite talent now rather than focusing on the future. The Rams also strengthened their secondary by adding key pieces such as Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, making it clear the franchise intends to maximize the final years of Stafford’s career.

Myles Garrett wants Aaron Donald back

Even with an already stacked roster, Myles Garrett admitted he would love to see Aaron Donald come out of retirement and return to Los Angeles. That move could change the entire landscape in the NFC.

“I don’t want to push him in one way or another. If he’s here, I’m going to be excited to be his teammate, his partner in crime. I think we can do great things, but it’s a difficult thing coming back, and I know he has a family. He has a lot of decisions to make. There’s a lot we can learn from each other. I’d love to pick his brain on the kind of things he does to attack his matchups, and I think the same could be said vice versa.”

Garrett made it clear he respects Donald’s decision while also acknowledging how special it would be to line up beside one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.

What would Aaron Donald’s return mean for Rams?

If Aaron Donald decided to return, the Los Angeles Rams could instantly boast one of the most dominant pass-rushing duos the league has ever seen. Pairing Garrett with Donald would create a nightmare for opposing offensive lines and elevate an already championship-caliber defense to another level.

Combined with Los Angeles’ explosive offense, the Rams would likely become the overwhelming favorite to win the Super Bowl. For now, though, Donald hasn’t made official any plan to end his retirement. Even so, Garrett’s public recruiting effort will only fuel speculation that the Rams could make one final blockbuster move in their pursuit of another championship.

Clowney previously spent two seasons with the Browns (2021–2022) before departing after a tumultuous end to his second campaign. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Browns hosted Clowney for a visit on Wednesday as full training camp practices got under way.

While the meeting was reportedly positive, no contract has been finalized, and negotiations remain active between both parties. Schultz also unveiled that a team from the NFC West is also following Clowney closely.

Filling the void left by Garrett

The Browns sent shockwaves through the league when they traded Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, to the Rams in exchange for a haul that included young pass rusher Jared Verse. Losing a generational talent leaves Cleveland’s defensive line thin on proven experience.

While Clowney is no longer in his prime, he demonstrated that he can still produce at a high level. In 2025, playing on a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys, the 33-year-old registered 8.5 sacks, 41 tackles, and 12 tackles for loss across 13 games, proving to be one of the few bright spots on the Dallas front seven.

Adding Clowney alongside Jared Verse, Alex Wright, and Isaiah McGuire would give Cleveland’s new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg a reliable rotation off the edge as the team adjusts to life after Garrett.

Myles Garrett gave an interview to the Rams’ social media channels, and he said he wanted to discuss future plans with Donald. “We haven’t talked yet but definitely expect to talk soon. I don’t know what his plans are and I won’t pretend to know, but a lot of people are excited and thrilled about the possibility of him coming back.”

Donald retired in 2023 after a full decade of action in the NFL, all with the Rams. He recently said that the Rams acquiring Garrett made him think about coming back from retirement to join Garrett.

Aaron Donald is still in top shape

Aaron Donald has always been a freak of nature. He was an undersized linemen but that didn’t stop him from wrecking havoc despite getting double or triple coverage. Judging by the lifestyle of the 35-year-old, he is still in incredible shape.

Donald’s last season saw him get eight sacks, 23 QB hits, three passes defended, and got an All-Pro first team selection. He literally retired being the best in his position in the NFL. Now, a fire might have been re-kindled.

Rams’ projected defensive lineup if Donald returns

The Rams already had a top defense. It could get even better with the moves they made this year, and Donald coming back. Also, they managed to keep defensive coordinator Chris Shula, which was a great outcome for them.

• DE: Braden Fiske
• NT: Poona Ford
• DT: Aaron Donald
• LOLB: Byron Young
• LILB: Nate Landman
• RILB: Omar Speights
• ROLB: Myles Garrett
• LCB: Jaylen Watson
• SS: Kam Curl
• FS: Kamren Kinchens
• RCB: Trent McDuffie

Bold: New names for this season.