Aug 31, 2026 · 40 min
Aaron Donald’s return raises Rams’ Super Bowl ceiling
Hour 1: Stephen A. and Aaron Donald Return!
The episode weighs whether one defensive reunion changes Los Angeles’s championship outlook while testing the significance of Bill Belichick’s debut and Jordan Love’s burden.
- 1Aaron Donald’s return could transform the Rams’ defense, but pairing him with Myles Garrett does not settle the Super Bowl debate.
- 2North Carolina’s win over TCU showcased defensive discipline, though the panel questioned whether it signals a genuine Belichick turnaround.
- 3Green Bay’s missing stars increase pressure on Jordan Love to produce at an elite, potentially MVP-caliber level.
Don't miss
The panel debates whether Aaron Donald’s return, alongside Myles Garrett, makes the Rams the NFL’s Super Bowl favorite.
The brief
Stephen A. Smith returns to First Take alongside Kimberley Martin, Adam Schefter, and Dan Orlovsky, then quickly shifts the conversation to football’s biggest early-season questions.
Aaron Donald’s reported return gives the Rams a fearsome defensive pairing with Myles Garrett, prompting a larger question: does one reunion make Los Angeles the Super Bowl favorite?
Bill Belichick’s North Carolina debut, a win over TCU in Ireland, earns credit for defensive execution and discipline—but the panel resists treating one victory as a turnaround.
Green Bay’s roster problems, including missing stars and Josh Jacobs’ exempt-list placement, leave Jordan Love with a demanding assignment: perform like an elite or MVP-level quarterback.
The episode closes by teeing up concerns about USC’s disappointing home crowd and the broader decline of a once-prominent college football program.
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