The Rams’ trade for Myles Garrett and subsequent intrigue about whether Aaron Donald would unretire to place two future first-ballot Hall of Famers on the same defensive line has served as an unmistakable reminder that some folks don’t change.

Rams castaway Cooper Kupp still boasts an unexpected wry sense of humor.

Donald’s wife, Erica, can still toss a wet blanket on fiery hearsay by posting a few well-chosen words on social media.

Rams architects Les Snead and Sean McVay can still adroitly motivate a player without pressing too hard.

As for Donald himself, it seems he still harbors a desire to play 26 months after he retired at age 32 at the top of his mayhem-creating game.

The acquisition of Garrett was the tipping point that Donald fueled by telling NFL insider Jordan Schultz in a text: “I’m for sure flirting with the idea. Helluva an opportunity with the Super Bowl in SoFi this year. If I can find the fire, it’s a possibility.”

Kupp, a receiver now with the Seattle Seahawks, was Donald’s fellow All-Pro teammate when the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022. They remain friendly enough for Kupp to reach out to Donald a few days ago with tongue-in-cheek advice to stay retired.

“I already texted him and told him he’s not allowed. So we’re good,” Kupp told sportscaster Rich Eisen while laughing. “I texted Aaron and said, ‘Don’t even think about it.’ I left it at that, so we’re good. I’m not worried about it. I already nipped it in the bud. No one has to worry.”

Erica Donald’s three-word rebuttal on X to speculation about her husband playing football again was also light-hearted. But it carried the weight of coming from the mother of two of Donald’s four children.

“Y’all are hilarious,” Erica posted.

Enough said?

Responses were respectful but hoped she was kidding.

One fan asked, “MRS.Donald can Aaron come out and play pretty please.”

Another took a similar courteous tone: “Erica, queen of them all… please let the mister give it one more go!”

Ardent Donald fans recall his wife’s response when he retired in 2024, and followers were incredulous that he would do so with seemingly plenty of outstanding football ahead of him.

Erica put the kibosh on the notion that he might change his mind in a 16-second video where she sits next to her husband, who appears to be sleeping while a television in the background is tuned to football.

Looking at her phone camera but speaking to her husband, she says, “Aaron, the people are still asking if you are coming back,” at which point she breaks into laughter because he doesn’t budge. She continues, “All right, guys, I hope that answers your question, ’cuz he is not.”

Less certain now are McVay, the Rams coach since 2017, and Snead, the team’s general manager since 2012. The mere thought of the eight-time All-Pro Donald lining up alongside the five-time All-Pro Garrett is too delicious to ignore.

“If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip,” McVay said during the news conference introducing Garrett.

Snead sounded even more hopeful.

“I do think for the first time since he retired, he’s maybe tempted,” he said. “‘Oh, let’s maybe do one last stand.’ I don’t know if he’s been tempted since he has been retired and I think if you know Aaron at his core, he’s one of those humans that if he doesn’t think he can really, really help, he probably doesn’t want to try.

“But for the first time, I’m betting that he’s tempted. I can sense that. That’s cool that Aaron’s excited, like a lot of our fans, Aaron’s excited about [acquiring Garrett] and he’s probably tempted for the first time.”

For his part, Garrett told Rams broadcaster J.B. Long that he plans to speak to Donald soon.

“I don’t know what his plans are, and I’m not gonna pretend to know,” Garrett said. “I know a lot of people are excited and thrilled about the idea of him coming back, but just being able to talk to him, learn from him, and know that I’ll take all the advice I can.”

Donald’s longtime former teammates are speaking the loudest. Former Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers, perhaps Donald’s closest friend on the team for seven years, said on a podcast that he has “knowledge that others might not have…. My guy is staying ready so he doesn’t have to get ready.”

And even while kidding, Kupp couldn’t help but say out loud what many Rams followers are thinking.

“I love Aaron, he’s such a good football player, great dude,” he said. “I loved taking the field with him in L.A. I don’t know what’s going to happen. That would be crazy. He’s a very, very good football player.”

Kupp laughed again.

“I don’t care how old he is, how long he’s not played, Aaron Donald is Aaron Donald. But it doesn’t matter because I told him he can’t.”

The New York Knicks began their pursuit of their first title since 1973 on Wednesday night in a matchup against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs clung to a seven-point lead at halftime, setting up a back-and-forth second half and a tight fourth quarter. But amid the tension of a tightly contested fourth quarter, an overexcited fan briefly stole the spotlight in pursuit of what he hoped would be a once-in-a-lifetime photo.

The unidentified fan ran onto the court midway through the game’s final quarter, appearing to try to take a selfie next to Wembanyama.

The fan came from the sideline opposite the team benches, starting from behind the play and running into San Antonio’s offensive end. The person was quickly pulled from the court by two security guards, and it did not appear the person made any contact with Wembanyama or any New York players.

Play was stopped for about a minute before the game resumed with a jump ball. The fan was taken out of the court area through a baseline tunnel.

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Earlier in the game, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson limped to the locker room after Spurs forward Harrison Barnes was pushed into his right knee. Brunson returned in the second quarter with his knee heavily wrapped, then appeared to tweak his left ankle later in the game after a Spurs player stepped on him while he contested a shot. He stayed in the game after the second scare.

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Brunson finished with 30 points, leading the Knicks in scoring.

The Knicks ultimately secured a 105-95 win over the Spurs in Game 1, marking New York’s 12th consecutive playoff victory.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Steve Baik, who coached Chino Hills to an unbeaten basketball season in 2016 led by brothers Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball, is returning to high school basketball. Calabasas announced on Wednesday he will be its new basketball coach.

Baik, who left Chino Hills and then guided Fairfax to a City Section Open Division championship in 2019, has long been considered an outstanding coach. He recently has been living and helping develop high school and youth players in Tennessee. He will replace veteran coach Jon Palarz, who retired from coaching.

“He reached out to me,” Calabasas athletic director Thomas Cassidy said. “He’s in the process of moving back. In talking to him, he had a lot of respect for coach Palarz and felt it was a good place to come back and build a program and have success. He blew us away. I was hoping we could work it out. We were able to put it together.”

Now the question is whether LaVar Ball, the father of the Ball brothers who Baik worked with at Chino Hills in sometimes much-publicized ways, will make an appearance in the Calabasas gym.