The long wait for Aaron Rodgers to get back in the Jets lineup is almost over.
Rodgers will be at quarterback for the Jets when they face the 49ers in Santa Clara on Monday night and that will mark his return to game action after tearing his Achilles four snaps into the 2023 season. Rodgers had to rehab that injury and he’s faced questions about whether he can return to playing at a high level, which led to a question at a Thursday press conference about whether there’s a chip on his shoulder heading into the opener.
“How do you not? I’ve always kind of played with something on my shoulder,” Rodgers said, via SNY. “You gotta manufacture things from time to time. It kinda goes back to the prove it — who would I need to prove to? Just myself at this point. I have a lot of pride in my performance, so when I take the field I expect greatness. Because I’ve done it before and that’s kinda the standard I hold myself to.”
While Rodgers isn’t afraid to build things up as motivation, the quarterback also stressed the need to “prepare yourself to really get off the wave” of emotions that come over the course of a football season. That may be his approach to the big picture, but getting to snap No. 5 against the 49ers might still be the impetus for a little jolt.