Aaron Rodgers is attempting to make a comeback for the New York Jets. He returned to practice this week and left the door open for a potential return to game action this season.
NFL analyst Mark Schlereth of the Audacy original podcast “Stinkin Truth” gave his thoughts on why Rodgers may be attempting to return even with the Jets on the outside of the playoff picture.
“Why? Why would you if you’re Aaron Rodgers?” Schlereth said (8:37 in player above). “Seriously. Why would you come back? Do you think there’s a legitimate opportunity for you to go and play a playoff game? You’ve played your way out of that. So why would you even risk it?”
The Jets started the season 4-3 but have lost four straight and are now just two games ahead of the Patriots in the basement of the AFC. New York failed to adequately replace Rodgers under center.
“It makes sense to me if you still had a shot at making a playoff run,” Schlereth continued. “But Zach Wilson pretty much ended those dreams for you as did Tim Boyle.”
Schlereth speculated that Rodgers may be looking to prove people wrong by attempting to come back so quickly from his Achilles injury.
“‘I’m going to do something nobody’s done. I’m going to do something people said I couldn’t do. I’m going to show people how passionate I am about the game,’” he said. “That’s what it feels like.”
The former offensive lineman had his fair share of injuries during his playing career and knows the toll that an injury can take on other parts of your body.
“Your body is such a compensation machine and you will put stress or duress on another aspect of your body you don’t even know you’re doing because your body just automatically compensates for that injury that you’re favoring,” Schlereth said. “That would be my big fear is you’re so subconsciously aware, if you will, if that makes sense, of that injury that your body is intentionally protecting it and you don’t even realize that you’re protecting it.”
That could lead to more injuries, potentially a career-ending injury, for the four-time MVP who turns 40 on Saturday.
“And then all of a sudden it’s the other Achilles. It’s the opposite knee. It’s the opposite hip,” Schlereth said. “It’s something that breaks down because of your body’s natural protection mechanism.”