Getty Image / Aaron Rodgers
When New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles just four snaps into his Jets tenure, it was one of the most disastrous moments for any franchise in recent memory. The Jets had expected to be true contenders when they acquired one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
At 39-years-old at the time of his injury, some thought Rodgers may never play football again. After all, a torn Achilles is one of the worst injuries in sports, and is especially tough on older athletes.
But, Aaron Rodgers, in classic Aaron Rodgers fashion, attacked rehab at a pretty furious pace, and even floated trying to come back for the end of the 2023 season. It’s unclear exactly how close he ever got to returning. He was throwing and moving around at the end of the season, but the New York Jets dropped out of playoff contention with a late skid and there was no point of a return.
After flirting with being an independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy’s running mate this fall, Rodgers is going to suit up for the Jets this fall. In fact, he’s ready to go for the team’s OTA’s starting on May 20.
Here’s ESPN’s Rich Cimini with more.
The four-time MVP, eight months removed from surgery to repair a torn left Achilles, will have “no restrictions,” according to coach Robert Saleh.
“Once phase three hits, we’re not anticipating any restrictions from what we can and can’t do with him,” Saleh said Friday at the start of a two-day rookie minicamp.Phase three, which lasts four weeks and covers 10 practices, is when teams are allowed to do noncontact, 11-on-11 work. That Rodgers will participate shouldn’t come as a surprise; he was practicing on a limited basis over the final month of last season. Still, it’s noteworthy, considering the severity of his injury.
“The guy can still sling it,” Saleh said. “He’s still working through his rehab, but there are no issues on the trajectory on which he’s going.”
The Jets have appeared to have done a much better job this year of building around Aaron Rodgers this year than they did last year. Granted, the sample size was small, but that offensive line was simply not good last year. They’ve added future Hall of Fame left tackle Tyron Smith, and selected a fantastic tackle prospect in Penn State’s Olu Fashanu with the 11th-overall pick.
Plus, they added another good wide receiver in former Los Angeles Chargers wideout Mike Williams. This team is built to win now, and a healthy Aaron Rodgers will be a big part of that.