Aaron Rodgers hints at possible return amid recovery

Aaron Rodgers is PRESSED by Pat on his return date for the Jets 🍿 | The Pat McAfee Show

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has hinted at the potential return to play after recovering from an Achilles injury sustained in the team’s first game of the 2023 NFL Week 1.

Despite torn Achilles injuries often being viewed as career-ending in sports, the 39-year-old doesn’t see it that way for himself. However, during a recent appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, he said he would consider returning only if he fully recovers and the Jets have better playoff odds.

“It’s always been, first, am I healthy? Then, are we alive? Are we in it? Are we playing well enough to make a run? Can I step in and protect myself and play at the level that I’m capable of playing? But it’s health first, and are we alive for the playoffs, second,” said Rodgers.

Despite his abrupt exit from the season, Rodgers said his Achilles operation “went well” and told McAfee the following month he was “ahead of schedule” when he teased his return without any workable timeline.

Cautious expectations

New York has a significant expectation that Rodgers will return to play with the Jets, evident in head coach Robert Saleh’s remark about Rodgers’s efforts to secure this year’s QB1 title.

“Aaron’s a grown man. No one is going to know Aaron’s body like Aaron knows his body. If he feels, after the doctors clear him, if Aaron says he wants to play, he’s going to play,” said Saleh.

Rodgers returned to the New York facility on Monday on no-game capacity. His return brought back some motivation to his team.

“Just seeing Aaron this morning and actually seeing Aaron in there doing treatment. A guy who’s in there doing everything he can treatment-wise, and for me, coming in after a game that we had and seeing him, how hard he’s been working, that was motivation,” said Jets left guard Laken Tomlinson.

The Jets sat in 15th place in the AFC rankings with a 4-7 record when Rodgers returned. Quarterback Tim Boyle now leads the team in the playoff race after the Jets benched quarterback Zach Wilson in the 6-32 loss against the Buffalo Bills in Week 11.