Aaron Rodgers is set took make his return on Sunday after sitting out the last seven games with a broken collarbone, and it is clear the star quarterback is assuming some risk by taking the field again so soon.
While Rodgers to an aggressive approach to healing by having two plates and 13 screws inserted in his collarbone, the fracture is still not 100 percent healed. One source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network that the Green Bay Packers are “concerned.”
“It’s not 100 percent healed,” the source said. “But it’s looking really good. Any time you’re going through the final maturation, then weighing estimates and pixels on a CT scan or MRI, there’s a decision. Everyone is concerned, as you can imagine. But everyone is ecstatic about the way the shoulder looks. There is a significant and robust enough physical response that we could put him in position to make a decision.”
For what it’s worth, the risk for Rodgers is not incredibly long-term. Even if the Packers’ worst fears are realized and he re-breaks the collarbone, he would still likely be ready for the start of the 2018 season. Still, Rodgers knew he needed another month to fully heal but pushed to play.
“It’s nice if everyone agrees,” another source told Rapoport. “But with a guy of this magnitude, and considering he’s going to sign the biggest contract in NFL history this offseason, there were a lot of different voices. Trust me, no one is sleeping well on Saturday … except Aaron.”
It’s become quite obvious how badly Rodgers wants to play, and that makes sense given the position Green Bay is in. Brett Hundley did just enough to keep the team in the playoff hunt, and the Packers can still reach the postseason if they win out and get some help. Being the competitor that he is, Rodgers couldn’t sit on the sideline and watch the rest unfold.
