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After Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles just four snaps into his New York Jets career under the Monday Night Football lights back during Week 1, many pundits and fans alike predicted doom for the New York Jets.
Fast forward about two months later, however, and the Jets sit at above .500 with a 4-3 record, with wins over both the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles mixed in there.
Not only that, but Rodgers has been openly aggressive in his rehab and he plans to return to the field this season, which is something that’s been inspiring his Jets’ teammates.
Speaking to the New York Post, multiple Jets players such as Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Quinton Jefferson, Duane Brown, D.J. Reed, and Jonathan Franklin-Myers spoke about how Rodgers’ comeback attempt is inspiring the whole team.
“It makes everybody just feel like anything is possible. It makes everybody grind and motivates us to be able to have a guy like that on the team,” said Sauce Gardner.
“It’s Kobe-esque. I know Kobe [Bryant] had the one year he tore his Achilles, everybody counted him out and he put that work and he came back, and that seems like he’s on the same trajectory, man,” Quinton Jefferson said.
Garrett Wilson told The Post: “It’s all about him wanting to prove to the world that you can’t put a time limit on anyone, you can’t tell anyone what they can do, and he has all our belief in this facility. Special person, special talent, and the way things been playing out, he’s got some special DNA in there healing his body.”
“It’s really cool and it’s really motivational in the sense that guys aren’t supposed to be able to come back that quick from injuries, and his determination and his manifestation into his own self, his own process is really cool to see,” Bryce Huff was quoted as saying.
According to former NFL offensive lineman and current popular Bussin’ with the Boys podcaster Taylor Lewan, he’s heard that Rodgers is targeting a return sometime in December.
For Week 9, the 4-3 Jets will be hosting the 3-4 Los Angeles Chargers in a game that will likely prove to be crucial in the AFC Wild Card race.