New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers admitted that it's "not realistic" to be 100% healed from an Achilles injury 14 weeks later and "he's not there" in terms of a possible comeback during his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee Show Tuesday (December 19).
""I do feel like in the next three to four weeks it would be very possible to get to 100%. If I was 100% today I'd definitely be pushing to play," Rodgers said.
Earlier this month, TMZ Sports reported that Rodgers, who was injured four snaps into his Jets debut in Week 1, was expected to be medically cleared to return from his Achilles injury before his team's December 24 game against the Washington Commanders. The Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention after Sunday's (December 17) loss to the Miami Dolphins and the risk of a potential re-injury would likely lead the team shutting down Rodgers regardless.
Rodgers' 21-day practice window was opened on November 29, one day after he walked back his prediction of an early return from an Achilles injury during his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. The 40-year-old reportedly ran some bootleg plays and jogged, showing remarkable progress in his recovery from what is typically a season-ending injury last Thursday (December 14).
Last month, Rodgers said he was aiming for a mid-December return while speaking to NBC Sports' Melissa Stark during the Jets' 'Sunday Night Football' loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11.
“He said, ‘I know it sounds insane, but you do a good surgery, you have a good patient, it makes this possible,’” Stark said on the telecast via NBC News, noting that Rodgers said he "just wasn't feeling it" when he decided not to throw passes during pregame warmups, as he'd done in the past few weeks.
Rodgers said he's been working on a weight-limiting treadmill during his rehabilitation which included jogging at 50% of his body weight and intends to increase it to 75% this week. Saleh said, "if the doctors clear him, we'll clear him," when asked about Rodgers' status during his postgame press conference.
Rodgers had previously told Stark that "his goal is to play again this season" during the Jets' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in October. Last week, Rodgers admitted that telling Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. that he would be back in "a few weeks" is' "probably not anywhere near a realistic timeline."
“It’d be nice to be able to get back in a couple weeks,” Rodgers said during an earlier appearance on 'the Pat McAfee Show' on November 7. “That’s probably not anywhere near a realistic timeline. … It’s more of a phrase that didn’t have a specific timetable.”
A clip shared by ESPN's Adam Schefter hours before his appearance on McAfee's show showed Rodgers embracing James after the Jets' 27-6 loss to the Chargers on November 6 and saying he was "a few weeks" away from playing again, despite the projected season-ending injury, when James asked about his recovery.
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