High ankle sprain ends Donald’s ironman streak at 86

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Seven-time Allpro defensive tackle Aaron Donald will miss a game because of injury for the first time in his NFL career when his Los Angeles Rams host Seattle on Sunday.

Donald has a high ankle sprain from the Rams' loss at Kansas City last Sunday, and Los Angeles coach Sean Mcvay ruled him out Wednesday.

Donald sprained his ankle in the first quarter against the Chiefs, but kept playing on it, Mcvay said. He won't need surgery, but his ironman streak will end at 86 consecutive games since the finale of the 2017 regular season.

“That's what makes Aaron, Aaron,” Mcvay said. “He's unbelievable. To be able to play through that, the toughness, everything that he embodies is what you love.”

Donald has missed only two games in his nine-year NFL career, both in 2017.

He sat out the Rams' season opener on the day after ending his contract holdout, and he sat out the finale to rest for the playoffs.

T.O. says punch was self defense

Retired NFL star Terrell Owens said a fight caught on camera in which he punched a man in a CVS parking lot was the result of an “aggressor” threatening him and a fan he was talking to at the California store.

Owens, 48, told The Associated Press in a statement that he acted in self-defense Saturday night when the man “made offensive gestures and threatening statements” to him and a fan who approached Owens.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver said the man approached him and the fan in the store, and in an attempt to de-escalate the situation, he walked outside, where the man followed.

Owens said the man “swung at me first” before he “felt obligated to prevent the aggressor from becoming more violent.”

Armstead nears return for Miami

Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead could return sooner than initially feared after he suffered a pectoral injury against Houston.

Miami coach Mike Mcdaniel said Wednesday that Armstead will be evaluated on a gameto-game basis, but he did not rule out a potential return Sunday when the Dolphins face San Francisco.

Armstead will not require surgery.

Odds and ends

Bills pass rusher Von Miller says he hopes to return to the field for Buffalo's Dec. 11 game against the Jets . ... Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts is out for the season with a knee injury, the team announced.