Aaron Rodgers triumphant return to practice just 79 days after he tore his achilles had many people believing that the 40-year-old quarterback was close to returning to the field.
But that doesn’t seem to be the case.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, It’s “appearing unlikely” that Rodgers plays in a game at all this season.
If the Jets are eliminated from the playoff picture, Rodgers is not expected to play, sources say. Not a surprise, but that’s where it stands. New York is 4-7 and its playoff chances hang by a thread. A loss today would make the climb even tougher. Rodgers has loosely targeted the Dec. 24 game against the Washington Commanders as his potential return date, but if the Jets are out of it by then, don’t expect a return.
The Jets may even go as far as activating Rodgers to the 53-man roster but even then, it’s unlikely he plays:
There is a chance that Rodgers is activated this season, putting him back on the 53-man roster, sources say. But even then, if the team is out of it, he wouldn’t play. He may, for instance, be the third QB only to be used in emergency, helping him stay connected and involved. The Jets have not used an emergency QB this season.
The Jets, 4-7 on the year, are set to host the Falcons on Sunday afternoon.
If New York can win this one, perhaps it’ll get interesting moving forward, but for now, it doesn’t seem like Rodgers will be getting back onto the field.
