Can Aaron Rodgers Return to the Jets this Year?

Future hall of fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers made his way to the New York Jets this year with hopes of competing for another Super Bowl. The 39-year-old was joining a team with one of the best defenses in the NFL and young stars on the offensive side of the ball. Just four games into his career with the Jets he tore his achilles.

While an achilles tear has kept even some of the top athletes away from their respective game for over a year, it is possible for a quicker return to action. That is exactly what Aaron Rodgers is banking on. Now, with some increased medical technology and rehab, athletes can return in 4-6 months. Some of the fastest returns from a completely torn achilles have been in as little as just a few months.

Rodgers tore his achilles on September 11th and got surgery less than a week later. It’s already been one month since then and there are still 12 weeks left in the regular season. Returning for the playoffs would put Rodgers’ time from surgery to playing again at four months almost exactly on the dot.

Doctors and Rodgers have claimed that he is ahead of the normal recovery time. Rodgers was seen on the field before the Jets’ last game this past Sunday, October 15th, throwing the ball around. Just a month after surgery, he is already throwing a football.

Even if Rodgers is ready for a return to football three months from now, he did put a caveat on his return saying he would only return if the Jets are in the playoffs. That puts a lot of pressure on Zach Wilson to get this team to the postseason. Wilson has done his part so far.

In the opening game after Rodgers went down, Wilson was able to get the Jets a win over the Bills, one of the top teams in the league. Just when things looked like they were going severely downhill as the Jets lost the next three games, Wilson led them past Denver and then past Philadelphia, a team that was 5-0 and went to the Super Bowl just last season.

So, will we see Aaron Rodgers play again this season? I think that the answer is absolutely yes as long as the Jets are able to make the playoffs without him.

By Jack Stradley, I’m a sports writer always looking for a gripping story and a hot take.