Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers pushed to get back on the field after tearing his Achilles four plays into the 2023 season, but his initial response to the injury was a very different one.
During an appearance on the I Can Fly podcast, Rodgers said that running on the field with the American flag before the Jets’ opener against the Bills was one of the “highest highs” of his football career because it followed “an incredible offseason” that left him feeling a renewed love for the game. All of that came crashing down when he suffered the “heartbreaking” injury while trying to avoid Buffalo pass rushers and he said his immediate thought was that he would never play again.
“I was really thinking, ‘This is it. You don’t come back from this injury,” Rodgers said.
The push to get back makes it clear that Rodgers was able to shift his mindset fairly soon after the injury and he said he’s excited about “going to battle” with the team again this year. All involved will be hoping for a longer run in the lineup and a better finish in the standings this time around.
