Aaron Rodgers brings hype around his return to a grinding halt: "It's not a realistic timeline"

The New York Jets came into the 2023-24 NFL season hoping that new starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers would elevate their status in the league's hierarchy to unprecedented heights. However, those dreams were tarnished in the most brutal fashion, as Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles in his first drive as the Jets' quarterback in the team's season-opener against the Buffalo Bills.

Aaron Rodgers' New York Jets career got off to the worst possible start

The injury was previously expected to ensure that Rodgers wouldn't take the field again this season. However, less than eight weeks after that jolting blow, the quarterback looked well ahead on his road to recovery. He was seen dropping back and launching passes before the Jets' home game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night.

He set social media ablaze after a hot mic caught him telling Chargers' Derwin James that he'll be back in "a few weeks". Rodgers addressed the incident on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday and disappointingly walked back on his statement.

---

---

Aaron Rodgers injury update: Jets QB pours cold water on early return rumors

Speaking about his conversation with James, Aaron Rodgers told Pat McAfee:

"I didn't realize that was gonna get caught there. Obviously, that was said with a little tongue in cheek there. It'd be nice to be back in a couple of weeks. That's probably not anywhere near a realistic timeline."

The Jets quarterback added:

"But a couple is, could be a few, could be a lot, it's more of a phrase that didn't have a specific timetable. I joked a few weeks, but obviously, it's going to be more than a couple of weeks."

While Rodgers has clarified that he won't be making a surprise return to the field in a couple of weeks, the possibility of him playing this season looms large. The Jets have been surprisingly competitive in his absence and currently boast a 4-4 record, keeping themselves in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs.

If the Jets manage to punch their ticket to the postseason, Rodgers might be tempted to risk returning to the field and reignite the franchise's Super Bowl hopes that were dashed in the most unfortunate way possible. The four-time NFL MVP has proven that he's well ahead of schedule on his road to recovery. But whether he can fully recover and return to the field before the Jets' season concludes remains to be seen.

---