Aaron Rodgers’ road to a near-miraculous recovery from what was deemed a ‘season-ending’ injury continuous to make progress, according to one former rival.
On Monday, former Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan appeared on the Up & Adams Show and revealed hearing from a source that Rodgers, 39, is planning to return before to play before 2024.
‘I talked to somebody the other day and they said he’s coming back in December,’ Lewan told host Kay Adams. ‘That’s what I heard.’
While impressed by the speculation, Lewan had his reservations about Rodgers’ health.
‘If he comes out and plays that’s one thing,’ Lewan said of Rodgers. ‘If he plays and he can stay healthy and can be the Aaron Rodgers we all know and love, that’s where we are literally throwing out the medical book on everything.’
.@AaronRodgers12 coming back in DECEMBER?!@TaylorLewan77 has been hearing things 👀@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/G4FL2dgLhA
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) October 30, 2023
Weeks after the injury, Aaron Rodgers was seen walking and throwing without crutches
Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles in his first quarter as a jet while playing against the Buffalo Bills.
While Rodgers was written off for the remainder of the season after opening night, he was filmed walking without crutches 20 days after the injury. Two weeks later, Rodgers was throwing the ball unaided, further escalating talks of a ‘historic and unprecedented‘ return.
On October 3, Rodgers appeared on the Pat McAfee show and addressed the unusual approach of his rehabilitation process.
‘There’s nothing normal about how I’m attacking this rehab,’ Rodgers said. ‘There is common practices about six weeks in a boot, and I was in a shoe in like 13 days. Again, this is just my mindset.’
The Jets acquired Rodgers during the offseason before tearing his Achilles on opening night
Historically, Achilles tears take at least six months to heal completely. Making Rodgers’ possible three-month recovery, if successful, a historical feat in sports medicine.
‘What did you do, who did you talk to and that is now the spokesman for all medical stuff,’ Lewan added.
The Jets are 4-3 with nine games remaining in 2023. Head coach Robert Saleh avoided speculating the timetable for Rodgers’ return but reiterated the quarterback’s eagerness to get back to the field.
‘He is on a mission,’ Saleh told NBC Sports’ Peter King. ‘I don’t put anything past him. I’ve heard he’s absolutely dominating rehab and he really wants to get back this year.’
