Aaron Rodgers has remained confident that he will be cleared to play again at some point during the 2023 season, and it sounds like the star quarterback could be back on the practice field in a matter of days, not weeks.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported on Sunday that there is a chance Rodgers will practice in advance of New York’s Week 13 game against the Atlanta Falcons.
From @NFLGameDay: The Aaron Rodgers watch is on. pic.twitter.com/59uFtH4FQg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 26, 2023
“There’s a chance that he practices this week. That has been his hope,” Rapoport said. “Jets coaches were unclear if it’s actually going to happen. I’d say more likely the next week, but his return — to practice at least — is coming. As one source said: ‘He just needs to bring us the doctor’s note.’ In other words, he needs to show that he is not doing damage to himself by being out there.”
Rapoport added that Rodgers’ goal is to play on Dec. 24 when the Jets host the Washington Commanders.
The Jets fell to 4-7 with their 34-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Friday. They have turned to Tim Boyle as their starting quarterback and are quickly fading from playoff contention. It initially seemed like a given that Rodgers would only play again this season if the Jets were in the postseason hunt, but he is apparently motivated by at least one other factor.
Rodgers tore his Achilles on Sept. 11. The surgery he had was the same so-called “speed bridge” procedure that running back Cam Akers had prior to the 2021 season. Akers, who was with the Los Angeles Rams at the time, was cleared to play five months later.
If Rodgers returns to practice next week and plays on Dec. 24, he will beat Akers’ rehab timeline by a significant margin.
