As shared by ESPN’s Wealthy Cimini, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers hinted throughout his Tuesday look on “The Pat McAfee Present” that he will not push to return this season from the torn Achilles he suffered on Sept. 11 now that the 5-9 membership is eradicated from postseason rivalry.
It was thought that Rodgers, who turned 40 years previous on Dec. 2, might begin this coming Sunday’s house sport towards the 4-10 Washington Commanders if the Jets weren’t mathematically eradicated. That was earlier than New York suffered a humiliating 30-0 loss on the division-rival Miami Dolphins this previous Sunday.
“I feel the entire time, it’s been hoping that we’re nonetheless in it,” Rodgers defined, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. “…I do really feel like within the subsequent three to 4 weeks it might be very attainable to get to 100%, however clearly not there.”
The Jets nonetheless have till Wednesday to activate Rodgers or maintain him on injured reserve by means of Week 18.
Maybe essentially the most attention-grabbing takeaway from Tuesday’s phase is that Rodgers indicated he is dedicated to enjoying for the Jets past the 2024 season. The longer term Corridor of Famer accepted a pay minimize this previous summer time to assist the group construct round him by means of no less than the upcoming offseason.
“I felt like once I got here right here that I acquired a renewed ardour and love for the sport,” Rodgers stated about becoming a member of the Jets from the Inexperienced Bay Packers this previous spring, in line with Josh Alper of Professional Soccer Discuss. “Every part has been wonderful right here. …I wished no less than two years. I really feel like this yr is form of a misplaced yr now that I solely performed a few snaps. Wasn’t in a position to go on the market and show what I’m able to, what we’re able to as a workforce. I don’t assume subsequent yr will probably be my final yr.”
Following the Jets’ blowout loss at Miami’s Exhausting Rock Stadium, a number of insiders suggested that workforce proprietor Woody Johnson might half methods with head coach Robert Saleh, common supervisor Joe Douglas and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett subsequent month. Rodgers backed these three people on Tuesday afternoon:
ESPN stats present that the Rodgers-less Jets ended Week 15 ranked final within the NFL with a mean of 255.1 offensive yards per sport for the marketing campaign. Gang Inexperienced is thirtieth with a mean of 14.4 factors scored per contest.
“It’s not a scenario the place we have to rebuild,” Rodgers added concerning the present state of the Jets. “We have to reload just a little bit…Now we have lots of nice younger gamers.”
Many within the NFL neighborhood assume Rodgers can have some say in what Johnson decides concerning the futures of Saleh, Douglas and Hackett. If Tuesday provided any form of preview of what is to come back, it sounds just like the Jets will run it again subsequent yr with the important thing figures from 2023 nonetheless related to the franchise despite the fact that Saleh has accrued a woeful 16-32 report since 2021.