New York Jets linebacker and team captain C.J. Mosley will happily welcome injured quarterback Aaron Rodgers back to the lineup this season — assuming Rodgers plays as soon as next month.
“It’s Aaron’s mind and body and if he feels that he’s in the right position to do something that he’s put his mind and heart into, then who’s to stop him?… If his mind is to it and the people on this team are saying go for it and he wants to, then we’re all gonna be behind his back,” Mosley said on Monday, according to Robert Sanchez of SNY.
Rodgers continues to make a stunning (and conspiracy-theory-sparking) recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered on Sept. 11, and it was first said in October that the future Hall of Famer could play in the Week 15 game at the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 17 or the Week 16 contest against the Washington Commanders on Christmas Eve.
It was reported after the Jets fell to 4-7 via a 34-13 loss to the Dolphins this past Friday that Rodgers could celebrate his 40th birthday this coming Saturday by returning to practice en route to facing the Commanders regardless of where the Jets are in the conference standings on Dec. 24. The Jets have lost four straight without Rodgers, and the benching of signal-caller Zach Wilson didn’t stop Gang Green from getting blown out on Black Friday. Temporary QB1 Tim Boyle completed 27-of-38 passes for 179 yards with two interceptions and a garbage-time touchdown against Miami, and he will start when the Jets host the 5-6 Atlanta Falcons this Sunday.
“Regardless of the fact, we got to look a certain way, we got to play a certain way,” Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson added on Monday. “We got to play winning football and I’m speaking on the defensive side of the ball because that’s the room I’m in, but either way if [Rodgers is] coming or if he’s not coming back, whatever that looks like we still have to uphold our standard on defense and play to a very elite level.”
There’s no sign the Jets will flip a figurative switch with Boyle on the field. Per ESPN stats, New York entered Monday night ranked 31st in the NFL with an average of 260.2 offensive yards per game and 30th with an average of 14.8 points per contest.