Aaron Rodgers injury: Jets' Duane Brown reflects on play that hurt QB; Robert Saleh says veteran not at fault
Rodgers went down on the Jets' opening drive

Aaron Rodgers' injury was the result of a typical football play. Nothing more, nothing less. It was not the fault of Jets veteran offensive tackle Duane Brown, whose player he was blocking on the play -- Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd -- took down Rodgers with a sack on the Jets' fourth offensive play.
Brown, anticipating a quick pass from Rodgers, tried to cut block Floyd after firing off of his stance. Brown stumbled, however, which gave Floyd a clear path to Rodgers, who still had the ball in his hands as he extended the play. Rodgers left the game -- a 22-16 overtime win for the Jets -- with an Achilles injury the Jets fear could be serious.
"It was a cut block. I went to cut the defensive end," Brown said. "He played it well and he got home and Aaron got hit."
To me last night #Jets T Duane Brown really embodied the gravity of the injury to Aaron Rodgers.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) September 12, 2023
He explained what happened on his protection, on the play where #8 went down.
Brown didn't avoid the media, answered everything like the professional he is. pic.twitter.com/Ue24jSsUEV
"It sucks, man," Brown said. "I got all the respect and love for Aaron. ... I just hate to not see him out there."
Monday night was Brown's first game action this summer. The 38-year-old, five-time Pro Bowler returned to practice on Aug. 23 after recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
"Duane can't look at that and say it was his fault," Saleh said, via ESPN.
While they allowed pressures of Rodgers on each of his two dropbacks, the Jets' offensive line got better as Monday night's game progressed. They did allow two sacks of Rodgers' backup, Zach Wilson, but they did give Wilson time to complete 66.7% of his throws, which included a nifty touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson that tied the score with 4:55 left. New York's line also helped the running backs (led by Breece Hall) to rush for 172 yards on 28 carries.
The Jets are now prepared to try to soldier on without Rodgers, the NFL's biggest offseason acquisition. But if Monday night's game showed anything, it was that the Jets are still capable of beating good teams without the four-time league MVP.
"Personally, I don't hurt for me, I don't hurt for our locker room. I hurt for Aaron and how much he has invested in all this," Saleh said. "I'm still going to say a prayer and hold out hope. My heart is with Aaron."
















