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Former New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez invoked Batman to compare Aaron Rodgers' Achilles injury rehab plan.
Speaking to Colin Cowherd, Sanchez said that the first challenge as a footballer not being on the field is the loss of identity and purpose.
The former Jets quarterback said:
"So, coming to that realization of I'm not playing football for the rest of this year you lose a little bit of your identity, number one, psychologically."
Mark Sanchez then said the approach Aaron Rodgers has to take is like Christian Bale in the movie "Batman", where he had to isolate himself and be his own companion during his recovery. Essentially, the idea is to hunker down and realize that no one other than yourself can help you with the rehab.
Sanchez said:
"And then you go into this like, think of like Christian Bale when he has to go down in that deep, dark pit in Batman right?
"And he's got to be like in the muck, in the mire and just kind of like, hang with himself and toughen himself up and get into this injury cocoon where you kind of block out everybody and you build this new reality."
Batman might have his Batmobile, but Aaron Rodgers will have his scooter
Mark Sanchez also highlighted that since Aaron Rodgers' mobility is compromised, he has to set his own weekly goals. Instead of aiming to play every Sunday, now every week he has to focus on just getting a little bit better. Those milestones will have to be self-made:
"He's gonna be on a scooter for a little bit. He's gonna be in a boot for a little bit and you start to create this like, fictitious or imaginary ladder of these rungs you have to hit and those become your new Sundays. Those become your new milestones and markers."
Keeping with the dark theme, the former Jets quarterback also added that while the franchise might feel sorry for Aaron Rodgers, they are going to move on without him for this season and give it no second thought.
He said:
"Unfortunately, for Aaron, you know, when you take the emotions out of it, the world keeps spinning. The sun came up today, and Zach Wilson is the starting quarterback for the New York Jets and they got 16 more games to figure out."
That is the cold hard truth of the NFL. Against the Buffalo Bills, the Jets fans might have been silent for a while. But then, Zach Wilson threw to Garrett Wilson for a touchdown and Xavier Gipson returned a punt for a walkoff touchdown in overtime.
As the fans celebrated, Aaron Rodgers already seemed like history.
