New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers talks to reporters after a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Jets’ training facility in Florham Park, N.J., Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Five weeks after suffering a torn Achilles injury that many thought would end his season, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is “ahead of schedule” in his rehab.
While the quarterback won’t put a timeline on exactly when he could be expected back, the four-time NFL MVP explained on the Pat McAfee show that a historic return this season isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
“I believe in the power of intention, the power of your mind and will,” Rodgers said in his weekly spot with the ESPN host. “I asked if we could push it (rehab) beyond the normal protocols and I just wanted to do things quicker but smart. It’s just about being smart with the rehab and pushing it as much as I can.”
Rodgers stunned viewers before the Jets’ Week 6 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles by playing catch without any sort of limitation. While the quarterback was not seen with crutches, or a walking boot, the feeling of just being able to throw a football again was tremendous.
“I felt great,” Rodgers explained. “The left foot is where the surgery is and it’s probably better for both short and long-term (recovery). I think it’s a little easier as opposed to the back foot.”
Right-handed quarterbacks use their left leg to plant as they go into their throwing motion. Earlier in September, AMNY confirmed with multiple medical sources that Rodgers could have an easier time getting back on the field due to the lack of strain that can be put on the planting foot.
The last player to return from an Achilles injury before the usual nine-month threshold was Cam Akers who returned five months after his injury. Rodgers gave Akers as an ankle of how he could return to the field in 2023 but also pointed out how far he still had to go to…
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