UPDATE: After tearing his Achilles during the first week of the 2023-24 season, there was hope of Aaron Rodgers returning to the field. Now we know if that will really happen.
Over the last several weeks, reports suggested that Aaron would be cleared to finish out the season where he started it, under center for the New York Jets. Now hearts are breaking for the 40-year-old quarterback.
“If I was 100 percent today,” he told The Pat McAfee Show, “I’d be pushing to play.” However, Rodgers revealed he still needs several more weeks of recovery before he feels ready to play.
Nonetheless, Rodgers is trying to see the bright side in a bad situation. “Now without a timetable to come back obviously we can be as smart as we can be,”
What happened to Aaron Rodgers on Monday night was nothing short of a tragedy. The 39-year-old quarterback suffered a season-ending complete tear of his left Achilles tendon just three minutes into his debut with the New York Jets. It was a gut-wrenching blow to Rodgers, the Jets, and the NFL as a whole.
On Thursday (September 14), Rodgers broke his silence with a photo of him in a hospital bed. “Surgery went great yesterday. Thank you for all the love and prayers and support. And thanks to the [GOAT] Dr. ElAttrache and his staff for starting me on the road to recovery,” Rodgers wrote on his Instagram Story.
On Friday (September 15), he opened up about the many emotions he has experienced since suffering the injury while on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN – a show he frequently appears on. He described the injury as ‘one of the toughest 24-hour stretches I’ve had in my life,’ but admits he’s feeling better now.
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Aaron Rodgers was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2005 and became their starting quarterback in 2008. He put together a Hall of Fame career over the next 15 seasons, but forced his way out this past offseason and was traded to the New York Jets. Monday night was his first game in a Jets’ uniform.
“Lot of sadness, lot of tears, lot of dark frustration, anger, the gamut of emotions, but the sun rose the next day and I found myself in L.A., had surgery on Wednesday, and since then I’ve been feeling better,” Aaron Rodgers said on Friday. While most 39-year-old QBs would see it as a sign to give up, he doesn’t.
He’s already eyeing a return in 2024 and wants New York Jets fans to know this isn’t the last they’ll see of him. In fact, he’s claiming to have already put together ‘a pretty damn good rehab plan’ that he thinks will shock a lot of people. While most ACL recoveries take 9-12 months, A-Rod doesn’t see it taking that long.
“There’s a lot of different ideas about the overall length of the rehab, I think what I’d like to say is, just because nobody’s ever done it in a certain way doesn’t mean it’s not possible,” Rodgers said – adding that he has the odds stacked against him, but he likes those odds and is excited to prove people wrong.
Aaron Rodgers Confident in Zach Wilson and the Jets
With Aaron Rodgers sidelined until next season – though he’s making it sound like he could potentially return for the playoffs (which would be absurd) – the New York Jets are putting their faith in Zach Wilson (again). Wilson was their No. 2 overall pick in 2021 and led them to an 8-14-0 record in two seasons.
“Yeah, I’m very confident in Zach, and I think he’s confident in himself, which is the most important thing,” Rodgers said on Friday – adding that he’s ‘excited for him’ and ‘pulling for him.’ Rodgers might not be playing, but he knows he can (and will) have a positive influence on Wilson and the Jets from afar.
“Neither of us thought that that’s what was going to happen on Monday, obviously, he hugged each other before the game, said ‘I love you,’ and said he said ‘Can’t wait to watch you play out there,’ and I was the one watching him play after the fourth play, but I’m excited for him, he’s a great kid,” Rodgers continued.
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The Jets lost their prized possession on Monday night – the man who was supposed to end their many years of suffering – but they ended up winning the game in a thrilling fashion to start the season 1-0-0. There’s still 16 games to go in the NFL regular season, but they still believe they’re a playoff team.
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