Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer December 15, 2023, 3:10 p.m. ET
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- Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and NFL for ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years and joined ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He was previously a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him on Twitter @RichCimini.
FLORHAM PARK, NJ – With his 21-day training window soon coming to an end, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers continues to surprise coaches and teammates with his progress following Achilles tendon surgery.
On Friday, Rodgers took a few reps as a substitute on the scout team defense and made a diving interception at linebacker – a play that left many teammates upset afterward.
“He looks normal to me,” said coach Robert Saleh with a smile. “It's incredible.”
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The Jets have until Wednesday to decide whether to activate Rodgers or keep him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. A return this season seems unlikely considering it's only been three months since his surgery, but the team hasn't ruled anything out.
Rodgers, 40, trains twice a week as part of his rehab program. This week he was on the field Thursday and Friday. He “pushed it a little bit” on Thursday, according to Saleh, who said Rodgers took snaps from down the middle, ran bootlegs and jogged from drill to drill. He participated in quarterback drills and a 7-on-7 game, but not 11-on-11 drills. He has yet to be cleared to play 11-on-11, which is the next step in his recovery.
“It’s a credit to him, especially in this day and age when a hangnail can affect a game week,” Saleh said. “But this guy is trying to win himself back. It just shows how much he cares and I appreciate him.”
Saleh has said they will leave the final decision to Rodgers – if he is cleared by the Jets' doctors and his personal doctor, Los Angeles-based Neal ElAttrache. The two medical teams communicated throughout the entire process.
For several weeks, Rodgers has been eyeing December 24th as a possible return date – a home game against the Washington Commanders. He has admitted he won't be 100% until after the season, but said he would be willing to play if the Jets were in the playoff race.
That's the problem. At 5-8, the Jets have a 0.2% chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN analytics. They face the first-place Miami Dolphins (9-4) at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday and look to end a 10-game losing streak in divisional away games. Rodgers said it “wouldn’t make a lot of sense” to return if the team is mathematically eliminated.
“It's definitely impressive to see him out there and the progress he's made in such a short amount of time,” said wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who declined to speculate on whether he expects Rodgers to play. “I mean, he’s special. The attitude, the way he approaches his treatment – suddenly you're back and ready to play here soon. It's crazy.”
Cornerback DJ Reed said Rodgers was throwing at his usual pace, but it was one catch – the diving interception – that caught everyone's attention.
“It’s kind of scary,” Wilson said.
“Jumped up and caught it with one hand,” tackle Duane Brown said. “He contested a catch and made it.”
There wasn't much of a reaction on the field at first.
“Probably not as much as it should have been because in the moment you think, 'Oh, he jumped up and caught it,'” Brown said. “But now you're like, 'What the hell are you doing?'”
Since Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon in Week 1, the Jets have switched from Zach Wilson to Tim Boyle back to Wilson in the starting role. The Jets are 4-6 with Wilson having perhaps the best game of his career – 301 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-6 win over the Houston Texans.