Will Aaron Rodgers play again in 2023? To hear the New York Jets quarterback tell it, his return is barely in question.
Rodgers tore his Achilles on his fourth play as a Jet, putting a damper on a Gang Green campaign that was supposed to end with a Super Bowl title. But Rodgers doesn’t believe his Achilles injury is season-ending, and he’s maintained he’ll return to the field this year.
On Sunday, Rodgers offered a more specific timeline for his eventual comeback.
Aaron Rodgers Injury Update
Rodgers hasn’t been shy about sharing his earlier-than-expected return timetables. Last week, he was caught telling Los Angeles Chargers defensive back Derwin James that he’d be back in a “few weeks.”
The four-time MVP clarified his comments on The Pat McAfee Show, claiming his remarks were “tongue in cheek.” Still, Rodgers said he could return in a “few fortnights.”
Rodgers stuck to that timetable on Sunday night, per NBC’s Melissa Stark, who said the 39-year-old plans to return to the field in mid-December. “I know it sounds insane,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers returning fewer than four months after rupturing his Achilles would be unprecedented. But the Jets organization is also confident it will see Rodgers — who resumed throwing in mid-October — back on the field in 2023, as Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported last month.
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Never one to shy away from experimental procedures, Rodgers underwent an operation designed to shorten his recovery time. The innovative surgery — which installed an internal brace called a “speed bridge” — was supposed to allow Rodgers to return in time for the playoffs. That timeline has clearly been ramped up.
New York is 4-4, pending the result of Monday Night Football. The club’s .500 record is primarily thanks to the Jets defense, which ranks third in yards per play, sixth in efficiency, and seventh in scoring.
But Zach Wilson has continued to struggle. The former No. 2 pick was dead last in QBR entering Week 10 and has shown few signs of improvement. Add in a poor offensive line and a disappointing set of complementary weapons, and it’s no surprise Gang Green ranks 31st in points per drive.
Still, Jets general manager Joe Douglas isn’t known to have pursued a quarterback upgrade before the NFL’s Halloween trade deadline. Last week, New York declined an overture from Carson Wentz, who initially contacted the Jets after Rodgers went down in September, per NFL Network.
Rodgers seems to be the only QB New York wants to supplant Wilson. But will the Jets still be in the postseason conversation by the time Rodgers returns?
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