Aaron Rodgers offers an update on his attempted comeback from injury
It looks like New York Jets fans will have to wait a bit longer to see quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the field again.
The 40-year-old All-Pro quarterback has elected not to play again this season, he shared Tuesday during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles four plays into the Jets’ season opener on Sept. 11 and has been sidelined ever since.
The four-time league MVP was attempting to make it through a radical recovery process in hopes of returning to the field before the season’s conclusion, but his effort fell just short with just three weeks remaining in the regular season.
"I do feel like in the next three to four weeks it would be very possible to get to 100%..
If I was 100% today I'd definitely be pushing to play" ~ @AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/aBSqWSquVY— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 19, 2023
“If I was 100% today, I’d be pushing to play,” Rodgers said Tuesday. “But the fact is, I’m not.”
Rodgers had previously targeted a Dec. 24 return against the Washington Commanders, with the Jets needing to activate him off the injured reserve list by Wednesday in order for him to be eligible for the remainder of the season.
However, with New York eliminated from playoff contention following Sunday’s loss to Miami, Rodgers has decided to give his Achilles more time to heal.
He had previously shared on “The Pat McAfee Show” that he would only return for the Jets if he was medically cleared and the team still had a shot at the postseason.
Rodgers also shut down the possibility of ending his career altogether on Tuesday, saying he felt he could “be effective into (his) 40s.”
What does Rodgers’ status mean for Zach Wilson?
Although Rodgers won’t play again in 2023, there’s no guarantee that his backup — former BYU star Zach Wilson — will be the one under center for the remainder of the season.
Wilson left Sunday’s contest against Miami early with concussion symptoms after being sacked four times by the Dolphins. Wilson’s mother Lisa shared on social media that her son concealed his pain from the Jets’ coaches and medical staff in order to keep playing, until blurred vision and issues with depth perception forced him to exit.
Though Wilson’s status remains questionable, Jets head coach Robert Saleh indicated that if Wilson clears concussion protocol, he will start at quarterback this weekend against Washington.
Wilson has made 11 starts for the Jets since Rodgers went down in Week 1, throwing for 2,271 yards and eight touchdowns across 12 total games while being sacked 46 times.
The No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 draft is likely in his final weeks with the Jets, as the Deseret News previously reported the organization’s intention to trade Wilson in the coming offseason.
