Aaron Rodgers is beginning his comeback journey with the New York Jets.
“Coach [Robert] Saleh says that QB Aaron Rodgers’ 21-day practice window will open today,” the Jets’ official account wrote via X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, November 29.
Following the announcement, Saleh, 44, held a press conference to discuss what Rodgers, 39, will be doing as he still recovers from his Achilles injury.
“For Aaron, what he would be doing in practice is no different than what he’d be doing on the field with regard to certain drills in the individual – instead of throwing with staff members, he’s throwing with teammates,” Saleh told reporters. “There’s no added risk to it. There’s certain things he’s been cleared for that we’re going to allow him to do.”
Saleh also noted that Rodgers wasn’t “going to do anything to put himself in harm’s way.”
In September, Rodgers underwent surgery after he tore his Achilles in the first few moments of his first game with the Jets. The football player’s injury was expected to keep him on the sidelines for the remainder of the season. However, Rodgers has hinted that he has plans to overcome the obstacle quicker than others expected.
“I don’t wanna get caught into a timeline, I just want to get healthy,” he said on The Pat McAfee Show in September. “But I’m gonna do everything that I can rehab-wise to put myself in a position to be ready to play football again at some point. That’s the goal.”
Nearly one month after his surgery, Rodgers shocked fans when he was spotted walking without crutches and throwing passes with his teammates while on the sidelines.
“He is on a mission. I don’t put anything past him,” Saleh told NBC Sports at the time. “I’ve heard he’s absolutely dominating rehab and he really wants to get back this year.”
Speaking to NBC’s Melissa Stark in November, Rodgers revealed that he planned on returning to the football field by mid-December.
“He said, ‘I know it sounds insane, but you do a good surgery, you have a good patient, it makes this possible,’” Stark recalled at the time.
This is Rodgers’ first season with the Jets after being traded from the Green Bay Packers. During his 18 seasons with the Packers, he took home the Super Bowl trophy in 2011 and was named the game’s MVP. He also racked up several MVP season titles in 2011, 2014, 2020 and 2021.
