Three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald is adding his name to the list of iconic football players to unretire, as he will rejoin the Rams after two years away from the NFL. Specifically, Donald joins an elite group of pass rushers who came out of retirement. Among those players are Hall of Famers Reggie White, Charles Haley and former Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison.
Donald is the second notable defensive player to unretire in as many years; Brandon Graham ended a seven-month retirement by returning to the Eagles for the second half of the 2025 season. Donald's return inspired us to put together the following ranking of the best second acts in NFL history, which includes one of the most improbable postseason runs. After a year away from football, the dynamic Moss returned as a member of the 49ers.
Moss caught 28 of 50 targets for 434 yards and three touchdowns that season while averaging 15.5 yards per catch. In the playoffs, Moss caught seven passes for 112 yards that included two grabs for 41 yards in San Francisco's Super Bowl loss to Baltimore, which proved to be the final game of his Hall of Fame career. A Pro Bowler each year from 1986-98, White signed with the Panthers for what ended up being the final year of his Hall of Fame career.
In 16 games, White recorded 5.5 sacks before retiring as the NFL's career leader with 198 sacks. Sanders chose his age -- 37 -- as his new uniform number upon signing with the Ravens and thus ending his three-year retirement. Despite making just six starts, Sanders was still a productive player during his two years in Baltimore.
He recorded five interceptions that included his ninth career pick-six. After having a borderline Hall of Fame career with the Chargers and Ravens, Weddle retired after the 2019 season. Weddle signed with the Rams -- who suffered injuries as a safety -- just before the start of the 2022 playoffs.
Weddle, 36 at the time, played well despite spending the previous two years on the sidelines. He started and won his only Super Bowl after helping the Rams defeat the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. A three-time Pro Bowler with the Patriots, Francis played seven more seasons after signing with the defending champion 49ers ahead of the 1982 season.
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