The worst has been confirmed: New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered an Achilles injury and will be out for the 2023 season.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers left Monday's game against the Bills due to what the team called an ankle injury. Now, his future has become certain -- and depressing.
According to Tom Pelissero, Rodgers suffered a complete tear of his left Achilles tendon on the Jets' first offensive drive on Monday. He had awkwardly tried to escape pressure from Bills linebacker Leonard Floyd and fell to the ground; the injury didn't look too serious at first as Rodgers tried to play it off.
The Jets quarterback was taken to the blue medical tent and then carted into the facility. Not long after, X-rays on Rodgers' ankle turned out to be negative, but that didn't necessarily bode good news.
Any kind of soft tissue damage -- like Achilles tears -- only show up on MRIs. On Monday, an MRI test confirmed the Jets' fears: Rodgers had torn his Achilles, and he will be out for the rest of the reason.
Aaron Rodgers injury update: Jets QB suffered complete Achilles tear
In the short-term, the Jets have a lot of questions to answer. Will Robert Saleh keep Zach Wilson as the team's QB1, sign a veteran stop-gap, or perhaps trade for a higher-upside starter?
In the long-term, Rodgers' future with the Jets and in the NFL is up in the air. The ex-Packers quarterback turns 40 this winter, and recovering from any kind of injury would have been a tall order. A serious one like an Achilles tear doesn't bode well for his ability to seriously compete in 2024, the final year of his two-year deal signed earlier this offseason.
The average length of recovery for a complete Achilles tear is six to 12 months, and for a player's of Rodger's age it will likely veer on the longer side.
Rodgers was already in decline in his final season with the Packers in 2022 when he played through a right thumb injury. His Achilles injury could sideline him for at least a year, and if or when he comes back, he likely won't be the same MVP-caliber quarterback he was just two years ago.
For reference, a 34-year-old Dan Marino suffered a torn Achilles in 1993 and was able to return the next season, maintaining a Pro Bowl-caliber level of play.
For now, retirement may not be in the cards for Rodgers just yet depending on how quickly Rodgers can recover from injury. The veteran quarterback closing his Hall-of-Fame career on a freak accident would truly be one of the most unfortunate things to happen in the NFL.
