Los Angeles Rams legend Aaron Donald is known as many things: a Super Bowl champion, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a 10-time Pro Bowler and a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s also a workout warrior.
Donald boasted a Herculean physique during his 10-year NFL career, and by all accounts he’s kept up his workout routine. Recently, current Rams star Jared Verse decided he wanted to work out with Donald, and it sounds like something he’s going to regret for quite some time.
Verse explained to reporters this week that after stretching, he embarked on the “Donald circuit” that included four cardio workouts — Stairclimber, bike, lunges and core — for four rounds each. Then, they moved to “like eight different workouts” for core, before Donald asked Verse if he was ready for the real workout.
Actually, it’s better if Verse explains what happened:
When the “real workout started,” Verse began hatching his escape plan. He even joked that calling the cops was on the table.
“His wife came in laughing at me, I told her to call the police,” Verse said. “I’m not even joking, I’m dead serious. I told her call the police. She wouldn’t do it. I tried to lie and say my mom was at my house and I had to go let her in. He told me to give my keys to his like manager or assistant or something, and they would go let my mom in. So I wasn’t leaving…”
Verse said afterwards his plans for the rest of the day were shot. He wanted to hit the sauna and watch film — neither of which happened — and he didn’t work out for another day and a half.
Just look at his face in this picture!
If Donald can get Verse to buy into his workout routine full-time, the Rams may have another Hall of Famer on their hands. Verse made the Pro Bowl and won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 after recording 66 combined tackles, 4.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 18 QB hits and two forced fumbles. His 77 pressures were the second-most by a rookie since 2017, when pressures were first tracked.
The Florida State product then took his game to another level during the Rams’ playoff run. Verse recorded two tackles and returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown in the wild-card win against the Minnesota Vikings, then had two sacks and four tackles in the divisional round vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. He became the first rookie to record two sacks in a playoff game since Nick Bosa in 2018.
This young Rams defense is a reason why Los Angeles is considered a contender in 2025. Verse, Braden Fiske, Byron Young and Kobie Turner combined for 226 pressures last season, which were the second-most by any foursome in the NFL, according to CBS Sports research. All four of those players were drafted in the last two years.
If Verse’s offseason workouts “work out,” this Rams team will be one to watch this year.