Aaron Rodgers: Being Medically Cleared Is ‘Not Realistic’

In his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Jets QB Aaron Rodgers seemed to finally acknowledge that a comeback this year from his torn Achilles isn’t in the cards. 

“If I was 100 percent today, I’d definitely be pushing to play,” he said via Albert Breer. “But the fact is, I’m not. I’ve been working hard to get closer … I’m still 14 weeks tomorrow from my surgery. And being medically cleared as 100 percent healed is not realistic at 14 weeks.”

For weeks, Rodgers and sources close to him and the team had been indicating to reporters that this coming weekend against the Commanders was a target for a potential return date, as long as the Jets were still in playoff contention. 

New York’s 30-0 loss to the Dolphins this past weekend officially eliminated the Jets and ended hopes of a comeback in 2023 for Rodgers. And the risk of further injury is just not worth it for Rodgers and the Jets. 

“The whole time it’s been hoping that we’re still in it because it’s unrealistic to think I’d be 100 percent at any point in the regular season,” he said via Zack Rosenblatt. 

Rodgers will continue to rehab and should be ready to go in 2024 as the Jets hope the second year of the Rodgers experience goes much better than the first. 

Rodgers, 40, is a former first-round pick of the Packers back in 2005. He agreed to a four-year, $134 million extension that includes over $100 million guaranteed in 2018. 

Rodgers was owed a base salary of $25 million in the final year of his deal in 2022 when he agreed to a three-year, $150 million extension this offseason with $101 million of the deal guaranteed.

After one year, the Packers traded him to the Jets for a package that included a second-round pick in 2023 and a conditional 2024 second that could become a first. 

In 2022, Rodgers appeared in all 17 games for the Packers and completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 3,695 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions to go along with 94 yards rushing and a touchdown.

We’ll have more on Rodgers as the news is available.