Aaron Donald Mishandles Fumble That Could Have Been His First Touchdown

Overview

• Rookie Wesley Bailey strip-sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert late in the third quarter, creating the loose ball that sent Aaron Donald racing for a scoop-and-score on Sunday.
• Donald misjudged the recovery, knocked the football out of bounds while trying to pick it up, and the Chargers retained possession instead of the Rams scoring.
• Television and sideline footage showed teammates laughing at the error, with injured Myles Garrett smiling on a stationary bike, and coach Sean McVay saying he would “give him such a hard time” afterward.
• The miscues had no bearing on the final result as the Rams forced turnovers elsewhere and won 24-9 to move to 4-4, and one report credited Donald with two tackles, including a tackle for loss.
• The moment underlined how rare defensive linemen touchdowns are and left Donald still searching for his first career score while spotlighting rookie Wesley Bailey for forcing the play.