Many an athlete has dealt with injuries throughout their career, and Aaron Rodgers is no exception. Much like Rodgers himself, the recovery period from his Achilles’ tendon injury is like no other. Rodgers had recently been cleared by an independent doctor to return to the active roster, per Adam Schefter and ESPN.
The four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers spent 17 years of his Hall of Fame career with the Green Bay Packers, where he won a Super Bowl and multiple NFC Championships. However, Rodgers requested a trade from the organization, and he landed on Robert Saleh’s New York Jets. Bolstered by a young team led by the likes of Jermaine Johnson Jr, and Breece Hall, the Jets were poised to make a playoff run for the first time in a long while.
Unfortunately, disaster struck. On just the fourth series of the game, former Georgia standout Leonard Floyd took down Rodgers for a sack. As he went down, his cleat got caught in the turf, and his Achilles tendon ruptured. Doctors have argued that the injury was a result of both Rodgers’ age and his positioning during the play.
Many doctors with sporting injuries saw that Rodgers’ injury was different from a typical Achilles tear. His was diagnosed as a complete Achilles tear where the tendon separated from the bone rather than ruptured, and this is an easier injury to recover from than a normal tear. Rams running back Cam Akers recovered from this injury in eight months, but no athlete has ever recovered from an Achilles tear in the same season.
Aaron Rodgers is notorious for adopting unorthodox training and recovery techniques, like going on “darkness retreats”. When the human brain is deprived of sensory stimuli, it creates hallucinations to fill in the gaps. Rodgers has consistently touted this and other cures as a means for him to bounce back from the injury, and it appears that he is on the mend early.
As recently as yesterday, Rodgers took the unorthodox step of practicing with the Jets’ scout team. He even played on defense and recorded an interception in practice, proof that he could still jump up with the best of them.
The Jets face off with the Dolphins this weekend, and the result of this game is likely to determine whether Rodgers returns. Whether we see Rodgers or not, gaining clearance to play just six months after a major injury is nothing short of mind-blowing. If the Jets sneak back into the playoffs, Aaron Rodgers could lead them on the run of the century, something incredibly unprecedented with his health. As always, time will tell.
Is Aaron Rodgers returning too soon? 🤔
0%Way too soon, he should wait.
0%We need Aaron Rodgers back now!
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