Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Aaron Donald is officially back. In this segment, the guys break down what the return of arguably the greatest interior defender of this era means for a Rams team that already looks like it's assembling a superteam, and why that's got half the league (and this show) fired up. From there, the conversation shifts into one of the most heated debates on the show: does Los Angeles even care about the Rams? The hosts dig into the strange reality of a franchise that's a massive national brand but can barely move the needle locally, comparing it to USC football, UCLA basketball, the Lakers, and even the Valkyries to figure out what actually makes a fanbase real. Along the way it turns into a broader conversation about NFL fandom itself — how it's built generationally, why out-of-market fans latch onto random teams, and why road crowds at Rams and Raiders games tell a bigger story than the standings do.
Then the guys can't help themselves and take a shot at the state of the San Francisco Giants, plus a detour into the bizarre world of Bay Area fandom — Niners fans in LA, A's fans who became Niners fans, and Raiders fans showing up 40% strong at Levi's Stadium.
Topics discussed include:
Aaron Donald's return and what it means for the Rams' Week 1 availability
Whether the Rams are building the NFL's next superteam
Why the Rams are a bigger national brand than a local one
How NFL fandom gets passed down generationally
The San Francisco Giants' disappointing season
Bay Area fan crossover — Niners, Raiders, and A's fans
Do you think the Rams are actually building a dynasty, or is this all hype until they win in front of an actual crowd? Let us know in the comments.
0:00 – Aaron Donald Is Back
0:59 – Rams Building an NFL Superteam
2:38 – Does LA Even Care About the Rams?
8:00 – Giants' Ugly Season & Road Takeovers
9:16 – Why Fandom Is Generational
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go.audacy.com/y-listen-live-957thegame
Listen live: audacy.com/957thegame/listen
Visit our website: 957thegame.com
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Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/957thegame
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Aaron Donald is officially back. In this segment, the guys break down what the return of arguably the greatest interior defender of this era means for a Rams team that already looks like it's assembling a superteam, and why that's got half the league (and this show) fired up. From there, the conversation shifts into one of the most heated debates on the show: does Los Angeles even care about the Rams? The hosts dig into the strange reality of a franchise that's a massive national brand but can barely move the needle locally, comparing it to USC football, UCLA basketball, the Lakers, and even the Valkyries to figure out what actually makes a fanbase real. Along the way it turns into a broader conversation about NFL fandom itself — how it's built generationally, why out-of-market fans latch onto random teams, and why road crowds at Rams and Raiders games tell a bigger story than the standings do.
Then the guys can't help themselves and take a shot at the state of the San Francisco Giants, plus a detour into the bizarre world of Bay Area fandom — Niners fans in LA, A's fans who became Niners fans, and Raiders fans showing up 40% strong at Levi's Stadium.
Topics discussed include:
Aaron Donald's return and what it means for the Rams' Week 1 availability
Whether the Rams are building the NFL's next superteam
Why the Rams are a bigger national brand than a local one
How NFL fandom gets passed down generationally
The San Francisco Giants' disappointing season
Bay Area fan crossover — Niners, Raiders, and A's fans
Do you think the Rams are actually building a dynasty, or is this all hype until they win in front of an actual crowd? Let us know in the comments.
0:00 – Aaron Donald Is Back
0:59 – Rams Building an NFL Superteam
2:38 – Does LA Even Care About the Rams?
8:00 – Giants' Ugly Season & Road Takeovers
9:16 – Why Fandom Is Generational
Download the Audacy app to never miss any of your favorite 957 The Game content:
go.audacy.com/y-listen-live-957thegame
Listen live: audacy.com/957thegame/listen
Visit our website: 957thegame.com
Subscribe on Twitch: twitch.tv/957thegame
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/957thegame
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/957thegame
Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/957thegame
Join our Newsletter: audacy.com/957thegame/join-our-clubs/mvp-club
