Tuesday was a whirlwind in Florham Park, New Jersey, where Aaron Rodgers' spring debut as the Jets' new quarterback continued. A day after taking snaps to kick off organized team activities (OTAs), the longtime Packers star inspired coach Robert Saleh to suggest New York is suddenly one of the few NFL teams capable of winning the Super Bowl in 2023. Rodgers' on-field participation was also cut short, with the QB sitting out Tuesday's practice with what initially appeared to be an ankle injury, but was later revealed to be a calf issue.
"I just tweaked my calf in the little pre-practice conditioning," Rodgers told reporters Tuesday afternoon, via SNY. "Take it by day."
Rodgers also added, "I don't think it's too serious."
Rodgers warmed up with teammates in uniform at the start of Tuesday's OTAs, but quickly moved to the sidelines once team drills began. He could then be seen roaming the field and observing practice on his own, with CBS Sports HQ insider Josina Anderson first reporting that the QB had suffered a "minor" strained calf, and would likely return "fairly quickly."
Aaron Rodgers walks around and watches on at Jets practice pic.twitter.com/agHVQoGmzF
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) May 23, 2023
Some reporters have indicated that Rodgers could also be seen limping on the sidelines, where he didn't work out with the other QBs, including 2021 first-round pick Zach Wilson. But Rodgers didn't receive extensive medical attention or leave the field to seek further treatment -- a sign that his absence from on-field work was mostly precautionary.
Acquired in a long-anticipated trade ahead of this year's draft, Rodgers notably skipped voluntary OTAs with the Packers last offseason. He reported for the start of the Jets' program on Monday, however, and took reps with his new offense.
