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SPORTS Wednesday 20 december 2023

Rodgers’ return will come next season with Jets out of playoff hunt

and QB not 100% healthy

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. in general manager Joe
AP Pro Football Writer Douglas, coach Robert
Aaron Rodgers’ quest to Saleh and offensive coor-
make an improbable re- dinator Nathaniel Hackett,
turn this season for the New and the team needs to
York Jets appears over. “reload” and not “rebuild”
The 40-year-old quarter- during the offseason.
back said during his weekly “I think the future is very
appearance on “The Pat bright,” Rodgers said.
McAfee Show” on Tuesday “We’re going to rise again
he’s not yet 100% healthy in and it’s going to be excit-
his recovery from a torn left ing.”
Achilles tendon and is still a Rodgers had surgery two
few weeks away. days after his injury and was
“I’m not going to slow my trying to have the fastest
rehab down,” Rodgers return to the playing field
said. “I’m going to keep at- from a torn Achilles tendon
tacking it every single day. of any known professional
But now without a time- athlete. Wednesday will
table to come back, obvi- mark 14 weeks since Rodg-
ously we can be as smart ers’ surgery, which report-
as we need to be.” edly included a “speed
Rodgers said if the Jets had bridge” an internal brace
won last Sunday at Miami New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks up during the second half of an NFL football on the Achilles tendon pro-
and remained in the post- game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Associated Press cedure that helps expedite
season hunt, he “would the healing process.
have pushed it as far as I that we’re still in it because activate him from the in- his debut with the Jets on He thinks his comeback
could this week” even at it was unrealistic to think jured reserve list. That still Sept. 11, moments after he can serve as an example
less than fully healthy to that I would be 100% to be remains a possibility, but jogged onto the field while for players who suffer a simi-
be ready to play against medically cleared at any he would then take a spot carrying an American flag lar injury, which traditionally
Washington on Sunday. But point during the regular on the active 53-man ros- in front of a jam-packed has taken most about nine
the Jets were routed 30-0 season,” Rodgers said. “I do ter. Otherwise, the quarter- MetLife Stadium. months from which to heal.
and eliminated from the feel like in the next three to back will revert to IR for the “That won’t be the lasting “I think that there’s hope
playoff hunt for the 13th four weeks, it would be very rest of the season. Rodgers image that you see of me that if you were to have
straight year. possible to get to 100%, but still needs to be medically in a Jets uniform,” he said. an injury in the offseason,
“If I was 100% today, I’d be obviously not there. cleared to fully practice “There’s going to be a lot that it’s not out of the ques-
definitely pushing to play,” “And so the conversation something that seemed to more amazing things to tion to be ready for Week
Rodgers said. “But the fact was away from 100% medi- be a possibility. come.” 1 and definitely not out of
is I’m not.” cal clearance to a willing- He has been participat- Rodgers added he doesn’t the question to be ready
Rodgers never firmly said ness to play. And that’s ing in individual and 7-on-7 think next season will be his for the season,” Rodgers
he won’t play this season, never been a problem for drills while also taking snaps last in the NFL, saying he said. “So hopefully this isn’t
but strongly indicated that me.” from under center and jog- always wanted to play at looked at as kind of a one-
is the case. The Jets opened the 21- ging, but hasn’t yet done least two years for the Jets year kind of loss of a year
“I think the whole time it’s day practice window for 11-on-11 team drills. and this season was “kind death sentence moving
been, you know, hoping Rodgers on Nov. 29 and Rodgers tore his Achilles of a lost year.” forward.”q
have until Wednesday to tendon just four snaps into He said he has full faith