Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 15, and there have been numerous reports about him uncorking long passes in practice and throwing the ball with zip. However, that will all mean nothing if his fractured collarbone isn’t completely healed.
As Ian Rapoport of NFL Network noted on Sunday, Rodgers is set to undergo a CT scan this week to determine if he will be medically cleared to return. If doctors feel the bone needs more time to heal, it won’t matter how good he has looked on the practice field.
“There are two parts to this. First of all, in practice, I’m told he has looked ridiculous, just incredible, the Aaron Rodgers we have come to know and love,” Rapoport said. “But none of that matters if he does not receive clearance. All of this depends on how the bone on his surgically-repaired collarbone is healing. Of course, we know he has two plates and 13 screws.”
There’s a great risk of re-breaking with collarbone injuries if they aren’t fully healed. If you remember, Tony Romo dealt with a similar injury back in 2015 and returned later in the season only to re-injure the same bone.
The Packers are two games behind in the NFC wild card race, but they get to face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Unless they allow DeShone Kizer to win his first game of the season, they should technically still be in playoff contention. If they lose, that could factor into Green Bay’s decision with Rodgers.
