It’s hard to believe, but Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is ready to practice again, just over two months after he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.
The Jets opened up a 21-day window for Rodgers to return from injured reserve on Wednesday and the team said he’ll start by practicing in a limited capacity. If the Jets use the entire 21 days for Rodgers to return, that puts him on track to be activated before their Week 16 Christmas Eve game against the Commanders.
If Rodgers does make it back onto the field that quickly, it would be nothing short of incredible. For some perspective, Cam Akers returned to the field just over five months after suffering an Achilles injury in 2021, and that was considered an astonishingly fast recovery at the time.
Rodgers has credited an innovative surgery to repair his tendon for his speedy rehab.
“I asked (the doctor) if we could push it, if we could push it beyond the normal protocols,” Rodgers said via the Jets website. “I've just wanted to do things quicker, smart, but quicker. It's just about being smart with the rehab and pushing it as much as I can and then backing off on the days that it doesn't feel good."
The Jets traded for Rodgers back in April with the hopes that a quarterback of his caliber could help the offense match their playoff-caliber defense. Rodgers ruptured his Achilles tendon on the team’s first offensive drive of the season, however. Since then, the Jets have struggled to find reliable play at QB.
If the Jets do not activate Rodgers by the end of his 21-day practice window, then they’ll need to shut him down for the rest of the season.
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