After Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon 4 performs into the season, no one thought the New York Jets would nonetheless be alive and kicking 5 weeks later. But right here we’re, following their Week 6 upset over the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, and the Jets are 3-3. Certainly, Rodgers’ speedy progress and restoration, coupled along with his pregame presence on the sphere, has completed one thing to maintain hope alive within the Jets locker room.
Most individuals (together with myself) had been skeptical when Rodgers jumped on “The Pat McAfee Present” not lengthy after surgical procedure and claimed he was aiming to return late within the season. Simply fascinated with it sounds ridiculous after such a severe damage that athletes often take anyplace from six months to a 12 months or extra to return.
Former Rams working again Cam Akers was in a position to get again on the sphere inside six months following his Achilles tear, however that’s one uncommon instance from the handfuls of Achilles accidents over time. In order that sort of restoration shouldn’t be not possible, simply extremely inconceivable.
Apparently, that timeframe gained’t work for A-Rod. And his show earlier than Sunday’s recreation was a technique to present all of the doubters that he’s on observe to return to the sphere sooner or later this season. I’m nonetheless not shopping for it and might want to see him in full uniform and pads taking reside in-game snaps earlier than I’m a believer. But it surely’s the hope facet of this storyline that’s so intriguing. It’s just like the slight likelihood of Rodgers getting again on the sphere retains this staff going.
A-Rod on the sphere earlier than yesterday’s recreation in opposition to the Eagles was no coincidence. Mr. Ayahuasca himself was on the market for a selected motive. His teammates can take it nonetheless they need and use it as motivation, however Rodgers being on that subject, strolling with out crutches, and throwing passes was all about him. If it occurred to present the staff a lift, nice. However Rodgers is about Rodgers and at all times has been. We noticed that when he led people to imagine he was compliant with league COVID protocols as he strutted round Inexperienced Bay’s staff amenities “immunized.”
Nevertheless, for the Jets, Rodgers being in attendance and staying engaged with the staff appears to be having some optimistic impact. No matter how we view it from the surface, if Rodgers’ progress retains the staff motivated, then extra energy to ‘em. Whereas a Rodgers return within the subsequent couple of months nonetheless appears far-fetched, I assume it will probably’t be 100% dominated out. Even along with his progress to this point, strolling round and throwing brief passes are completely totally different from suiting up and impacting an NFL recreation in January.
