September 5th, 2024

The day is September 11th, 2023 and Aaron Rodgers is about to take his first snap in a Jets uniform in front of 83,000 people in attendance and 22.6 million watching around the world on Monday Night Football. 

Warm-ups for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets went routinely, nothing was wrong. Then, the player's introductions begin, the team runs out to Thunderstruck by AC/DC, out goes the defense, special teams, and backup offense, and then the individual players, Breece Hall runs out, Garrett Wilson runs out, each O-lineman runs out and last but not least with an American flag in his right hand and a spotlight just on him, the 4-time MVP and new QB1 for the Jets Aaron Rodgers runs out. Chills.

To start the game the Bills punted the ball and the Jets started their drive on their 12-yard line. First play, a Breece Hall 26-yard rush, second play, an incomplete pass, third play, an incomplete pass. Fourth play, Aaron Rodgers drops back to pass, the 2 offensive tackles attempt a chop block but it doesn't work, the pocket collapses Rodgers tries to avoid it but Leonard Floyd sacks him. When the whistles blow there is something wrong, Rodgers limps as he gets up, he looks at the Jets sidelines, shakes his head, and takes a seat. When the trainers come out and Rodgers limps off the field the stadium goes silent, you could hear a pin drop. After all the hype in the offseason, with Aaron Rodgers saying he intends to play with the Jets in March, he finally gets traded in April, the Jets sign players from his wishlist, hard knocks, and the dramatic entrance it was all over in just 4 plays. 

The next morning around 11 AM it is confirmed, that Aaron Rodgers has torn his Achilles and is out for the remainder of the 2023 season. But just a couple of days after the injury Rodgers took an interesting approach to the recovery process, he wanted to make a speedy recovery. Was “speedy” for him ready for week 1 in 2024? No. Was “speedy” for him ready for training camp in 2024? No. Was “speedy” for him ready for OTAs or minicamp in 2024? No. Was “speedy” for him ready for December of 2023? Yes. Rodgers decided to do a rare ‘Speed Bridge’ surgery that would place an internal brace called a speed bridge on Aaron’s Achilles and make it possible for a 4 month recovery process for an Achilles tear that usually takes 9-12 months. 

The speedy recovery seemed very speedy, within a month Rodgers was already off of crunches which would normally take around 2 months. About a month and a couple of days since the injury Robert Saleh said he would not rule out a return of Rodgers in 2023 and just 7 weeks after the injury Rodgers was already throwing the football with some football-like movements. 

After another month of improvement, Rodgers comes out and says that he is targeting a Christmas Eve return against the Washington Commanders which would become a historic return. And in late November the New York Jets officially opened Rodgers practice window but at this point, the Jets were 4-7 and the playoffs were not likely at all for Gang Green. Then on December 2nd just 11 weeks post-injury Aaron Rodgers was back on the practice field at 1 Jets Drive. However, Aaron Rodgers would not return in 2023 but it was a glimpse at what was on the horizon in 2024.

In 2024, Rodgers attended OTAs at full strength and was slinging the ball like he didn’t tear his Achilles just 8 months ago. Rodgers did not attend the Jets minicamp from June 11th to the 13th due to his trip to Egypt but when training camp rolled around on July 21st he looked better than ever. He was throwing multiple touchdown practices, his arm was looking strong and most importantly he was healthy.

Now 364 days post-injury the 4-time MVP Aaron Rodgers makes his return in the Jets uniform on Monday Night Football in San Fransisco against the 49ers.