The Jets can no longer make the playoffs. Next, a choice will be made about Aaron Rodgers.
That day, the quarterback has to be added onto the active list or his season is over. Even though the Jets are likely to activate him, that doesn’t mean he will play this season.
Rodgers would still be able to train with the team, though he would have to move up on the roster. Robert Saleh, the Jets’ coach, wouldn’t say anything on Monday.
Saleh told them, “I don’t have anything to say about that right now.” “As I already said, he’s still in rehab in my eyes.” Rodgers wants to be back this week after having surgery on September 13 to fix his Achilles.
It would be the fastest time anyone has ever come back from tearing their Achilles. Rodgers started training on November 29, which started the 21-day window for him to come back from IR. This window ends on Wednesday.
Salesh said, “I’m sure you could present a case for each side of the coin.” “But, as I already said, I’m not thinking about that conversation until it does happen.”
If Rodgers goes on “The Pat McAfee Show” as he usually does every Tuesday, he might talk about what the plan is.
He has admitted in the past that the Jets probably would not let him play if they were not in the running for a playoff spot.
Rodgers said on November 30 that letting the team sign off on it would be risky for him. “If they think we’re out of the game, I doubt they’d let that come back.”
Since the Jets are still playing out the string, it wouldn’t make much sense for them to risk Rodgers getting hurt again.
It was Sunday within South Florida, and he was there to watch the Jets’ offensive line get sacked by the Dolphins in a 30-0 loss.
Rodgers had surgery on his Achilles tendon on September 13. He said from the start of his recovery that the Jets’ ability to be a contender was going to be important.
But there were rumors not long ago he would be happy to come back no matter what the team’s record was.
I thought that was over after he said on Tuesday that it would count. The Jets are 15th out of 16 teams in the AFC, one spot ahead of the New England Patriots (2-9).
Rodgers’ choice will probably depend on how the next two games go, which are at home toward the Atlanta Falcons (5-6) and the Houston Texans (6-5). Rodgers, whose 40th birthday is this Saturday, said he’s almost ready to train again.
“There’s a logical next step here to the rehab, or that’s going to involve stepping back onto the field to start doing some things that aren’t solely football-related,” he stated.
The Jets will have 21 days from the time they open their training window to decide if they want to bring him back from injured reserve.
Rodgers is said to want to play in the game at MetLife Stadium on December 24 against the Washington Commanders.
Rodgers said he runs at 8 mph on an Alter G machine with 70% of his body weight on it. He’s healing much faster than most people do after surgery on their Achilles.
“But we’re not where I can make an option on playing because, health-wise, I’m getting steadily, however I don’t have the ability to play at this point.”
In the NFL, running back Cam Akers came back in five months for the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. That was the fastest return of any player.
Doctors say it takes a minimum of three weeks for the tendon to heal. After that, the patient needs to do rehab to build power. Rodgers has only been out of surgery for 11 weeks.
Rodgers returned to the Jets’ building full-time this week after rehabbing in California. He will continue his program with the help of the Jets’ training staff, while ElAttrache’s team watches his progress from Los Angeles.
“Seeing him work so hard after the game gives me motivation,” guard Laken Tomlinson said Monday. On Monday, linebacker C.J. Mosley said, “As a friend and a teammate, I’m just happy to have him healthy, happy, and putting a spring in his step, which is crazy.”