Aaron Rodgers has never publicly expressed anything but full confidence that he will overcome the torn Achilles he suffered last September, but the star quarterback was not nearly as certain in the immediate aftermath of the injury.
Rodgers’ first season with the New York Jets lasted just four snaps. During an interview with the “I Can Fly” podcast that was released on Tuesday, Rodgers reflected on the emotions he felt after he tore his Achilles. He admitted his mind was filled with plenty of doubt.
“I was really thinking, ‘This is it. You don’t come back from this injury,'” Rodgers said, as transcribed by Christian Arnold of the New York Post.
Rodgers described running onto the field at MetLife Stadium carrying the American flag as “one of the highest highs in my sporting career.” He said he felt like he had fallen back in love with the game of football just minutes before having to wonder whether he would ever play again.
“And then, one of the most heartbreaking nights of my life, when I played four plays,” Rodgers said. “Talk about an ego death.”
Rodgers also said he reached out to his close friends after the injury and asked them to be there for him “on the tough days when I stop believing it’s possible.” Once he shifted his focus to rehabbing from surgery, his outlook became more optimistic.
Now that his recovery has gone well, Rodgers has set a very lofty career goal for himself. The 40-year-old does not seem concerned that there will be any lingering effects from the Achilles injury when the 2024 season begins.
