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He’s baaaaaaaccckkk.
Well, almost.
New York Jets star quarterback Aaron Rodgers could return as soon as next week according to a new report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“After recently being cleared to practice, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is likely to be medically cleared to play this week upcoming,” Schefter writes.
The 40-year-old, in his first season with the franchise, tore his Achilles just one quarter into the 2023 NFL season. Zach Wilson took over in his absence and the Jets have been up and down for much of the season.
But now it appears a Rodgers return could come far sooner than anybody expect.
At 5-8, New York is still technically in with a shot of making the AFC playoffs.
Aaron Rodgers Could Still Sit Out Despite Being Cleared To Play
Does that guarantee that Rodgers will return ASAP? Not necessarily, according to Schefter.
“Rodgers and the Jets organization still need to get together to discuss if returning next Sunday is the next step they want to take,” he writes. “Much could depend on the outcome of the Jets’ Week 15 game Sunday in Miami against the Miami Dolphins and if New York still has any chance — even infinitesimal — of making the postseason.”
A loss to the AFC East-leading Dolphins would all-but end New York’s playoff hopes.
But a victory, paired with a light schedule down the stretch, could make the decision easy.
The Jets face the Commanders, Browns and Patriots in the last three weeks of the season.
New York has until Wednesday to activate Rodgers. If the Jets don’t activate Rodgers by by Wednesday, he cannot be activated this season. Though they could well activate Rodgers and still keep him on the bench against Washington.
Either way, the four-time NFL MVP is on track to return well before anybody imagined was possible when he went down holding his lower leg all the way back on Sept. 11.