ENGLEWOOD – Only two Broncos quarterbacks know what it is like to be sacked by Aaron Donald.
Bo Nix obviously hopes not to be the third.
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In his star-studded career, the defensive tackle has faced Denver only twice, and he had a sack in each game. While with the St. Louis Rams as a rookie in 2014, he dumped Peyton Manning in a 22-7 home win. And while with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018, he dropped Case Keenum in a 23-20 win at Denver.
The eight-time first-team All-Pro selection was inactive due to a sprained ankle the last time the Rams played the Broncos, a resounding 51-14 home win on Christmas in 2022. And he did retire for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
But Donald is back, having returned to action in Monday night’s 28-6 home win over the New York Giants. He will take the field for his second game back against the Broncos on Sunday night at Empower Field.
“I’m sure he’s just getting back in the swing of things, but a dominant player for a long time,’’ Nix said after Wednesday’s practice at Broncos Park. “So I honestly don’t expect anything different, we just have to limit the time he’s dominant.”
That might not be easy. Even though Donald is 35, Nix wondered if his time away might have helped him.
“If anything, he could be better because he’s got some good rest,’’ Nix said. “It’s exciting to play the greats, it always is. I know he’s a really good football player, and he’s going to provide a challenge that we haven’t necessarily faced before. He’s literally one of the best at his position of all time.”
Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey doesn’t disagree with that assessment.
“I think he’s probably the greatest defensive football player that I’ve ever played against,’’ McGlinchey said. “I played against him twice a year for five years. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation with a guy like that.”
McGlinchey played for San Francisco from 2018-22 and went against Donald seven times. The first time McGlinchey’s 49ers faced Donald’s Rams in 2018, he had an astounding four sacks in a 39-10 Los Angeles road win.
Donald has 111 sacks in 10 seasons plus the one game against the Giants. He didn’t play in the Rams’ opener against the 49ers in Australia and got in for 33 snaps against the Giants.
Donald didn’t have a sack but had three tackles, one for a loss. That tied him for fourth place on the NFL’s all-time tackles for loss list with 177.
“I’m a little sore right now,’’ Donald said afterward. “But it feels good to be back out there and get that first game under my belt.”
After watching the film, McGlinchey said, “He looks great. He looks explosive. He looks like Aaron Donald.”
Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald (99) smiles during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Inglewood, Calif., Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Katie Chin)
Broncos coach Sean Payton agreed.
“Really good,’’ Payton said of his play Monday. “He’s one of those guys that obviously, he’s in great shape. To be able to do that and play at a position inside where that’s not easy. … Certainly tracked him his whole career, and he’s something else.”
When Payton was New Orleans’ head coach, the Saints went against Donald’s Rams five times, including in the 2018 NFC Championship Game. Donald had one sack in each of his first two games against the Saints, in 2016 and 2017, but then none in the last three.
Payton now hopes the Broncos can keep Nix clean on Sunday.