Aaron Rodgers injured his left ankle when he was sacked by Leonard Floyd of the Buffalo Bills. This was a nightmare start to his New York Jets career and he exited his first game for his new team just minutes into it.
Rodgers dropped back from the Jets’ 43-yard line on first down and attempted to roll left before being sacked by Leonard Floyd, resulting in a 10-yard loss. His left foot appeared to get stuck in the Jets’ turf when he was tackled.
The quarterback grimaced as he got back to his feet for a moment before dropping back down and sitting on the turf. He was helped off the field when Zach Wilson made his way to replace him. Rodgers, 39, went straight to the medical tent and witnessed scenes that left the entire NFL stunned.
The quarterback was then helped onto a cart in scenes that stunned MetLife Stadium. He was deemed questionable to return, but had an X-ray and his left foot was in a protective boot.
“He’s dealing with an ankle problem, we’re getting it checked out and we’ll get it updated,” coach Robert Saleh said during the break between the first and second quarters.
Aaron Rodgers injured his ankle minutes after his Jets debut when he was sacked by Leonard Floyd
Rodgers, 39, fell to the ground and needed immediate medical attention
He was then helped straight through the MetLife tunnel in scenes that stunned the NFL
It had rained heavily about two hours before the game began, which may have contributed to his foot becoming trapped.
It rained heavily in New York over the weekend, including during the game 24 hours earlier between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants at MetLife.
The amount of attention and excitement surrounding Rodgers and his move to the Jets had dominated the offseason leading up to the new season.
And in the cruelest twist of fate, his first game seemed to be over before it even began.
Rodgers looked stunned and ashen, all eyes in the stadium focused on him and not on the game unfolding on the field itself.
Before the game, Rodgers had played a central role in the stadium’s September 11 commemorations on the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attack.
In his first game, he walked onto the field with the American flag as fans got their first glimpse of the quarterback who unmistakably underlined his dream of leading the New York team to Super Bowl glory.
As Rodgers left the field, coach Robert Saleh appeared speechless as he tried to remain focused on organizing his team for the game itself.