In retrospect, Jim Everett got a bad rap.  He feuded with Jim Rome (who labeled him "Chris" in reference to his play comparing him to the female player, Chris Evert), the Rams gave up a lot for his rights, and he had an overall losing record.

From San Diego, Dryer played collegiately at San Diego State and was drafted in the First Round by the New York Giants in 1969.  While Dryer's play was strong for the G-Men, he was not happy there and the Giants became frustrated with him so he would be traded to New England, who he refused to play for as there was no new contract and they traded him to the Los Angeles Rams as the Patriots declined to pay him what he asked.

Standing at 6' 7", Lamar Lundy might have been the most imposing figure of the Rams' famed "Fearsome Foursome" and was part of a revolution of sorts that helped to glorify modern defense.  The two-sport athlete (he was also a basketball player) was the first black player to receive an athletic scholarship at the University of Purdue, and he opted for a career in Pro Football much to the delight of Los Angeles Rams fans.

Andy Robustelli was a late round pick from Arnold (the only player ever drafted from there), and he made the team at Defensive End where he would assist the Los Angeles Rams to win the 1951 Championship.  He would blossom into one of the top Defensive players in football, and he was either a First Team or Second Team All-Pro the next four years.  It should have continued, but Robustelli clashed with Rams management over their refusal to let him have some time to be with his new child.  He was traded to the New York Giants and would have a Hall of Fame career.  Maybe they should have let him take a couple of days off, don't you think?

From Texas A&M, Dave Elmendorf was drafted in the 3^rd Round in 1971 and would spend all nine of his seasons in the National Football League with the Los Angeles Rams.  The Safety may never have been chosen for the Pro Bowl but he would play 130 Games in the NFL, and he started every single one of them.  He would net 27 Interceptions as a pro.

Jack Pardee was the 14^th overall pick in 1957, and the Texas A&M Aggie would be a fixture at Linebacker for the Rams for 13 years.  Pardee played 169 for Los Angeles, starting 150 of them.  In 1963 he would be named a First Team All-Pro as well as being named to the Pro Bowl.  He managed to secure 17 Interceptions for the Rams, a good number for a Linebacker.

Selected 13th overall out of the University of Pittsburgh in the 2014 NFL Draft, Aaron Donald entered the professional ranks with legendary collegiate credentials. In his final season with the Panthers, Donald put together one of the most dominant individual campaigns in NCAA history, sweeping the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, and Outland Trophy. Despite initial concerns regarding his 6-foot-1, 280-pound frame, Donald shattered all expectations from the moment he stepped onto an NFL field, capturing the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and earning his first of ten consecutive Pro Bowl selections.

What made Donald an absolute force of nature was a rare combination of explosive get-off speed, terrifying leverage, and relentless technique. Operating primarily from the interior defensive tackle position—a spot traditionally tasked with absorbing double-teams—Donald routinely disarmed offensive linemen with a lightning-fast first step and hand-combat mechanics that blew up plays before they could develop. His ability to generate edge-rusher-level pressure from the 3-technique alignment disrupted offensive schemes like no defensive tackle before him, forcing opposing coordinators to completely rewrite their game plans.

Following his stellar rookie year, Donald established himself as the indisputable premier defensive tackle in football, stringing together four consecutive First-Team AP All-Pro selections from 2015 to 2018. His steady trajectory reached new heights in 2017 when he captured his first AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award despite playing in just 14 games. Rather than plateauing after reaching the peak of his profession, Donald responded by putting together a 2018 campaign that stands among the greatest single seasons ever recorded by an interior lineman.

During that historic 2018 season, Donald led the NFL with a mind-boggling 20.5 sacks and 25 tackles for loss, setting the single-season sack record for a defensive tackle. Behind his game-breaking dominance, the Rams marched all the way to Super Bowl LIII. Joining Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt as one of only three players in league history to win back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors, Donald's individual brilliance carried Los Angeles back into national prominence. He followed that up in 2019 by capturing his fifth straight First-Team All-Pro nod while once again leading the league with 20 tackles for loss.

As the sport entered a new decade, Donald's dominance remained unchallenged. Named a unanimous choice for the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, he kicked off the 2020s by capturing his third AP Defensive Player of the Year Award, tying Taylor and Watt for the most in NFL history, while topping the league with a 20 Approximate Value. In 2021, the Rams' aggressive, championship-caliber roster put it all together. Donald capped off his seventh consecutive First-Team All-Pro season by sealing Super Bowl LVI, pressuring Cincinnati's Joe Burrow on fourth down to secure the franchise's second Lombardi Trophy.

Following two more elite seasons that brought his First-Team All-Pro total to eight and extended his streak of Pro Bowl selections to a perfect ten-for-ten, Donald initially announced his retirement from professional football in March 2024. Leaving the game at age 32 with 111.0 career sacks, 176 tackles for loss, and 24 forced fumbles, he solidified his status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a consensus pick for the Mount Rushmore of defensive linemen.

However, the story of the legendary wrecking ball received an unexpected, blockbuster addition. In late August 2026, after two full seasons away from the gridiron, Donald sent shockwaves across the sporting landscape by officially coming out of retirement to re-sign with the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year deal. Drawn back by the competitive fire and the opportunity to pair with newly acquired pass-rusher Myles Garrett, Donald's return instantly elevated the Rams into heavy Super Bowl contention once again.

While head coach Sean McVay opted to ramp Donald up slowly—holding him out of the team's Week 1 clash in Australia to ensure peak physical readiness—his presence on the 2026 roster reaffirms his immortal bond with the organization. His decision to put the horns back on serves as the ultimate bonus chapter for a star who spent ten seasons dominating the interior line of scrimmage in Southern California.

Whether viewed through his initial ten-year sprint or his 2026 comeback, Donald's candidacy as the greatest player in Rams history is well earned. His uncanny ability to destroy passing pockets from the inside while remaining a dominant run defender forced NFL offenses to rethink how to protect the quarterback. Facing constant double- and triple-teams for a decade, he simply converted that extra attention into highlight-reel disruption.

Going into this season, Donald compiled 543 total tackles (340 solo, 203 assists), 111.0 sacks, 176 tackles for loss, 256 quarterback hits, 24 forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries.  Let’s see what he adds in 2026!

2025 Pre-Season Rank #26, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #31, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #37, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #37, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #59, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #67.  Peak Period: 2021-25.

A change of scenery can change the perception.  

Matthew Stafford was a Lion for 12 years, racking up passing yards but only a few wins.  A Pro Bowl participant once in Detroit, Stafford was entrenched as a second-tier QB.  The Rams traded for him, and he became a Super Bowl Champion in his first year in Los Angeles, gaining national recognition. Articles were written (and scoffed at) proclaiming him a Hall of Famer, but his play in L.A. has now placed him not only in the conversation, but to many pundits, a lock. 

Much of that came from last season’s performance, where for the first time in his career, he led the NFL in Passing Yards and Touchdown Passes, but most importantly, he won the MVP.  He also rocketed up the all-time lists, and is currently 6th in Passing Yards (64,516) and 7th in Touchdown Passes (423), and another monster year will move him even higher.  Considering who he has to pass to, that seems very doable.

If Stafford wins a Super Bowl in 2026, and he is favored to do so, get the bust ready now. 

2020 Pre-Season Rank #15, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #5, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #3, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #2.  PEAK 2017-21

Well, look who’s back!

When we last saw Aaron Donald on this list, it was heading into the 2023 season, which he completed with another Pro Bowl, giving him a perfect ten-for-ten in that accolade.  He then shock-retired, doing so while still having something left.

Let’s see what he still has.

It is easy to see why Donald opted to come back.  The Rams begin the season as the most loaded team in football.  Quarterback Matthew Stafford is the reigning MVP, and they landed the defending Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett.  This team narrowly lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game, and now they have a returning Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett?  We haven’t even mentioned the acquisitions of Trent McDuffie and Jaley Watson to the Defensive Back Corps!

A quick reminder of who Donald is.

He is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and anyone who has ever done that twice has always been enshrined…easily.  From 2015 to 2021, he never finished lower than fifth for the DPOY, he led the NFL in Sacks once, Tackles for Loss twice, and also boasts a Super Bowl ring. 

He could easily add another.

Should he be ahead of the previous #1, Quarterback Aaron Rodgers?  We answer this with this question. 

Who is easier to put on the Mount Rushmore of his position?  Aaron Donald or Aaron Rodgers?

You can see who we narrowly picked!

A member of the St. Louis Rams for all but his final season (which was in Jacksonville) the 6^th Overall Pick from North Carolina State, Torry Holt had a really good rookie season where he joined the famed (yes we are saying it again) "Greatest Show on Turf" and would be a Super Bowl Champion as a rookie.  Holt would promptly lead the NFL in Receiving Yards (1,635) in his second year and would do it again in 2003 with a career-high 1,696 Yards with an NFL leading 117 Receptions.  Holt was consistent with his production with six straight 1,300 Yard seasons 2000-2005 with a pair of 1,100 Yard campaigns after that.  The seven-time Pro Bowl Selection totaled 12,660 Receiving Yards with 74 Touchdowns as a Ram.

The Rams arguably landed quite a deal when they drafted Norm Van Brocklin in the fourth round of the 1950 NFL Draft as the QB fell not because he wasn't good but because it was speculated by many that he would stay at the University of Oregon for his senior year.  He didn't, and the Rams would be the beneficiary of an incredible QB tandem with Bob Waterfield that would win the 1951 NFL Championship.  

Drafted second overall from SMU in 1983, Eric Dickerson would become the most explosive Running Back in the National Football League.  As a rookie, Dickerson would win the Offensive Rookie of the Year in a season where he led the league in Rushing Yards with 1,808 Yards and 18 Touchdowns, the former being good enough to finish first.  That was good, but in 1984 what he would accomplish would be ten shades of incredible.

Selected second overall in the 1966 NFL Draft out of the University of Michigan, Tom Mack would become the teams starting Left Guard midway through the 1966 season, and in his sophomore season he would be named to the Pro Bowl.   That year would be the first of eleven trips to the annual game honor showcasing the best players in the National Football League.  Without question, for over a decade the Los Angeles Rams never had to worry about Left Guard as Mack was clearly among the elite in that role.  He would appear in 184 straight games for L.A., the only team he ever played professionally for.

Drafted by the New York Yanks second overall Les Richter never suited up for them as they folded.  His rights went to the new Dallas Texans (who pretty much took most of the Yanks), but he never played for them either as he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for 11 players.  While this may look lopsided, it was but in favor of the Rams!

The passing statistics of Bob Waterfield may look poor by today's standards, but when he debuted for the Cleveland Rams after a great career at UCLA, he would take the Cleveland Rams to an NFL Championship as a rookie in 1945.  Waterfield was not just the teams Quarterback as he was also their Kicker and Punter, and defensively, he had 20 Interceptions as a Back.  He would win the MVP Award that season, a rarity for any rookie in any sport.

In terms of tenure, there are none in higher standing than Jackie Slater, who played 259 Games in the NFL (plus 18 more in the playoffs) for the Rams in a 20-year career that spanned from 1976 to 1995.  Earning the starting Right Tackle job to commence the 1979 season, Slater would be a fixture there starting 211 of the next 211 games he played.  Throughout the 1980s, Slater established himself in the upper echelon at his position going to the Pro Bowl seven Times and receiving three Second Team All-Pro Selections.  There will never be a more durable player in franchise history than Slater.

When we are speaking about the St. Louis Rams and the “Greatest Show on Turf” an engine needs to be referenced.  That engine was Marshall Faulk, the Hall of Fame Running Back for the Rams.

Every great team needs a steady presence and for “The Greatest Show on Turf” that was Left Tackle, Orlando Pace.

Like so many on the all-time Rams list, Kurt Warner was a hard one to place mainly due to the long existence of the franchise and the number of great players that they had.   So when you have a player regardless of the caliber who was only there six seasons but when three of those campaigns were as spectacular as what Warner had from 1999 to 2001 he has to be on this list at a high spot. Though we understand why you might think this is not high enough, or maybe if you believe this is even too high!

Dubbed "Crazy Legs" for the unique way he ran, Elroy Hirsch is one of the most well-known players of his era.  An exceptional athlete at the University of Michigan, Hirsch served as a Marine (like many did back then) and upon his return from duty, he led a College All-Star team to a 16-0 win over the Los Angeles Rams, who were the defending NFL champions and many reporters stated Hirsch was the star of that game.