Kyle Long on what to expect from Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett
Kyle Long reflects on what it’s like to block Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett and shares his expectations for the star defensive duo with the Rams this season.
Myles Garrett will have to wait a few weeks to play his second game with the Los Angeles Rams.
According to The Ringer and Netflix’s Tom Pelissero, the Rams’ star edge rusher needs to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee.
Los Angeles placed him on the injured reserve on Sunday, Sept. 13, so Garrett will miss at least four games after the procedure.
Garrett was at the center of this offseason’s biggest blockbuster trade, landing with the Rams in a deal with the Cleveland Browns that netted his former team defensive end Jared Verse and three draft picks.
The five-time All-Pro defensive end had little impact in his Rams debut against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Sept. 10. Garrett played 40 snaps and recorded three hurries with no tackles or sacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
Now, he’ll miss at least four games following a clean-up procedure on his knee. It’s the most time the two-time Defensive Player of the Year will miss in a season since 2019, when he was suspended six games for a fight he instigated with a late hit against Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Garrett’s earliest possible return date is Oct. 18, with the Rams set for a Week 6 clash with the Arizona Cardinals.
The expected return of defensive tackle and three-time DPOY Aaron Donald now looms even larger. The 35-year-old officially returned from two years in retirement when he signed a one-year, $20 million deal with the Rams on Aug. 30.
Donald did not play in Week 1, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the superstar defender could make his 2026 debut as early as Week 2. The Rams are set for a “Monday Night Football” meeting with the New York Giants on Sept. 21.
The Rams are placing Garrett on injured reserve on Sunday, Sept. 13, according to Pelissero. The five-time All-Pro will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee days after making his Sept. 10 debut with his new team.
Garrett was virtually invisible in his first game with the Rams. PFF credited the star defensive end with three pressures – all hurries – and he didn’t record a single tackle or sack across 40 snaps against the 49ers.
With his placement on IR, Garrett is required to miss at least the next four games for the Rams. That means he’ll be out for Los Angeles’ matchups with the Giants, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills. The earliest Garrett can return now is Week 6, when the Rams are due for a clash with the Cardinals on Oct. 18 – their second NFC West matchup of the season.
Garrett will miss at least four games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
According to Cleveland Clinic, an arthroscopic procedure “is minimally invasive surgery” with every part of the procedure happening through small incisions. The word “arthroscopic” refers to an arthroscope, a small camera that projects images from inside the knee onto a screen. The arthroscope and screen are what allow the surgeon to operate on the affected areas using multiple small incisions rather than one big one.
The Cleveland Clinic notes that “most people are able to return to their usual activities within six to eight weeks” after arthroscopic knee surgery, though the severity of the injury also affects the length of recovery time.
Garrett is due to miss a minimum of four weeks after his procedure with his placement on IR.
As he’s been placed on IR, the Rams will be without Garrett for at least the following games:
- Rams at Giants, Sept. 21, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
- Rams vs. Broncos, Sept. 27, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
- Rams vs. Eagles, Oct. 4, 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox
- Rams at Bills, Oct. 12, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
This story has been updated.