Topline
Star New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers returned to the practice field Wednesday, setting the stage for an improbable return to game action for the often controversial four-time NFL MVP in the same season he tore his Achilles tendon, though it’s highly unlikely Rodgers will lead his slumping team to the playoffs.
Aaron Rodgers may don a Jets uniform once again this season.
Key Facts
The New York Jets announced Rodgers practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday, and head coach Robert Saleh said Rodgers is greenlit for “functional football activity” but not for contact drills.
By clearing him for practice, the Jets opened a 21-day window for Rodgers, who was previously on the injured reserve list, to return to game action.
The Jets must add Rodgers to the active roster by Dec. 20, or he will remain on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
The 39-year-old Rodgers’ return to game action after his Sept. 11 Achilles injury would be historic as the injury typically requires at least six months of recovery for NFL players, though Rodgers vowed shortly after his injury to “shock” people with his return timeline.
Big Number
Less than 1%. That’s the Jets’ probability of making the playoffs, according to the New York Times’ model.
Key Background
New York’s 4-7 record is tied for the second-worst mark in the AFC, owing much of the disappointing results to subpar quarterback play after Rodgers made just one pass attempt before succumbing to injury in the team’s season opener. Rodgers is the fourth highest-paid player in the NFL, raking in $47.9 million in salary and endorsements this season, according to Forbes’ estimates. Rodgers, who underwent an innovative “speed bridge” procedure to repair his Achilles tendon, has previously made waves for medical reasons. Rodgers, then a member of the Green Bay Packers, sparked a firestorm in 2021 for misleading reporters about his vaccination status against Covid-19 and spewed a variety of debunked conspiracy theories about Covid vaccines and treatment.
Further Reading
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/11/29/aaron-rodgers-returns-to-jets-practice-less-than-3-months-after-achilles-tear/