Aaron Rodgers has tempers expectations about potential Jets return…
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers tried to downplay reports about his potential Christmas Eve return while never necessarily denying them during his Tuesday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Rodgers’ rumored return date is quickly approaching and Monday TMZ Sports reported that Rodgers was expected to be medically cleared for game action before Dec. 24 when the Jets host the Washington Commanders.
“I’m not sure where that report is coming from. There’s been a lot of interesting reporting over the last few weeks of our team,” Rodgers said during the segment. “I’m not sure about some of these reports, but there’s loose lips everywhere. I’m not gonna let that sink my ship, though.”
Rodgers has been making remarkable progress considering the injury and he has been doing some seven-on-seven work with members of the Jets’ practice squad.
The future Hall-of-Famer returned to practice Nov. 29, a mere three months after he suffered an Achilles injury just four plays into his first start for the Jets.
Whether Rodgers plays this season still seems a stretch, but the Jets are mathematically in the playoff hunt, leaving the door slightly open to his trying to play in 2023.
“I’m getting better, improving. Still some things I gotta do in order to be cleared,” Rodgers said. “But I’ve done some limited practice the last couple of weeks and done some seven-on-seven stuff at the end of practice.”
Rodgers added: “It’s called the flight squad, flight school. The P-squad guys getting some extra work at the end and I just ask, ‘Can I take some of those reps?’ ”
The Jets face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday and head coach Robert Saleh didn’t sound too optimistic about the idea of Rodgers playing this weekend.
Saleh told reporters that Rodgers was going through his rehab and that “I wouldn’t hold my breath” over the idea of the QB playing in South Florida.
The Jets also had some reassuring play out of Zach Wilson during last weekend’s win over the Houston Texans.
Wilson threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns in the 30-6 victory, excelling in the second half.
“I just think that sometimes guys get into a rhythm and you just kind of get in that zone and the play-caller gives you a lot of opportunities,” Rodgers said about Wilson’s performance. “It’s pretty crazy, though, we haven’t scored 30 [points] in the last four games, maybe five, and we came out and scored 30 in a half.”