Aaron Rodgers won't play for the Jets on Sunday, but the star quarterback was on the field without crutches and throwing pre-game passes just a month after suffering an Achilles tear in New York's 2023 opener.
The former MVP has repeatedly refused to rule out a return during the season or playoffs, even though Achilles tears have traditionally been season-ending injuries. It's not abnormal for someone to begin "partial weight-bearing" a month after undergoing surgery to repair the tendon, a medical source tells CBS Sports, but Rodgers' progress is still notable considering his recovery goals.
.@AaronRodgers12 out here throwing the football pregame.
— NFL (@NFL) October 15, 2023
Incredible. 💚 pic.twitter.com/IphWfh8yWR
The longtime Packers standout has said he's rehabbing "over five hours a day" in an attempt to return before the end of the season. He's credited his own medical advisors for aiding the recovery process.
"It's pretty obvious I'm well ahead of the normal protocols when it comes to rehab for this kind of thing, but that was always what my mindset was," Rodgers previously told "The Pat McAfee Show."
"[We're] being as smart as possible," he said, "not trying to stretch the Achilles but stretch the Achilles in a way that allows me to start doing movement quicker and to speed up whatever timeline has kind of been the standard for this type of injury."
