For weeks, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been making noise about returning from his torn Achilles in December, which would be just three months after he first suffered the injury.
An elite athlete coming back from such an injury in so little time is virtually unheard of, but Rodgers has been moving along with his recovery in the continued hope of returning to the field before the end of this NFL season.
This week, he returned to practice with the Jets, and reportedly, he has been aiming mid-December for his return to game action. That would possibly mean he would return for the Jets’ Dec. 17 contest against the Miami Dolphins in South Florida.
Many are questioning whether coming back from such an injury so soon is a good idea. Christian Fauria, a former tight end who won two Super Bowl championships with Tom Brady’s New England Patriots, said succinctly on X, formerly Twitter, that Rodgers’ comeback attempt “will end bad.”
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There are two things that will make such a return even more risky than it should be for Rodgers.
First is the wear and tear he has accumulated over 15 seasons of being a starting quarterback in the NFL. He will turn 40 years of age on Dec. 2, and the mileage he has seems to increase the chances of something going physically wrong with him.
Second is the fact that New York has what is considered one of the weakest offensive lines in football. Rodgers already wasn’t as mobile as he used to be prior to his Achilles injury, and one missed assignment could potentially result in the tendon being re-injured, or possibly another injury happening indirectly as a result of his surgically repaired Achilles not being 100 percent.
The team is just 4-7 and has virtually no shot at making the playoffs this season. If Rodgers’ return goes very well, it may win an extra game or two, but it would be like putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound.
There is a growing feeling that Rodgers wants to come back so soon not for the sake of the Jets but merely for his own reputation.
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