Aaron Rodgers is making progress as he continues to rehab from a torn Achilles, but he still has some work to do before he can take the field for the New York Jets again. In an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Rodgers indicated there is no guarantee he will play again this season.
Rodgers has been making solid progress in his recovery, leading to some speculation that he could help the Jets go on a playoff run. However, Rodgers' return isn't exactly imminent at this point.
The first checkpoint in any possible return for Rodgers would be getting back to full health. Rodgers wants to make sure he can play to his full potential and keep himself safe before suiting up again.
Aaron Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee Show that any potential return this season will depend on both his health and the Jets’ playoff possibilities. pic.twitter.com/jkMRYgEIfP
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 28, 2023
"I think it's always been, first, am I healthy?" Rodgers said. "Then, are we alive? Are we in it? Are we playing good enough to make a run? Can I step in and protect myself and play to the level that I feel like I'm capable of playing? The first part of it is my health. Can I protect myself? Can I move around the way I want to move around? There's a natural progression here to the rehab. That's gonna involve actually getting back onto the field to start doing some things that are more football-related."
The second checkpoint would be the Jets battling for a playoff spot. At this point, Rodgers hasn't even considered making a decision based on the team's postseason chances because he still has some hurdles to clear in rehab.
"We're not where I can make a decision playing because health-wise I'm improving steadily, but I'm not at an ability to play at this point," Rodgers said.
By the time Rodgers does get back to full strength, the Jets may well be out of the playoff race. The Jets have lost four straight games, falling to 4-7 on the season, while making a quarterback switch from Zach Wilson to Tim Boyle.
