AARON Rodgers shared how difficult it was to deal with his Week 1 Achilles injury from last season.
The New York Jets star quarterback, 40, suffered the season-ending injury four snaps into his debut with the NFL team in 2023.
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Rodgers will be preparing for his 20th season in the NFL.
He’ll hope to play his first full season with the Jets after his disastrous injury on the season-opener Monday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills last year.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the four-time MVP Rodgers opened up about his struggles from the injury which lasted more than a week.
“The low point was not just sitting in the training room at MetLife, after it happened,” Rodgers said. “It was flying home [to California] and then really the first 13 days not being mobile.
“It was hard. I had surgery out there with Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache. Having people take care of me, and I can’t really move, it’s a whole ordeal to just go to the bathroom and sleep.
“You’re in pain. I’m not a big pain med guy. There were definitely some low points.
“Then watching the team struggle was hard, knowing what we built through the offseason and training camp, when people got to see the energy and the enthusiasm through Hard Knocks.
“There was a lot of excitement around our squad. There were definitely some low moments there.”
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The injury also caused Rodgers to get the perspective of how life after football would look like.
He felt the good and the bad of what his next phase would look like.
“It felt like retirement,” Rodgers said. “It was a good [thing to feel], to sink into the fact that I’m away from the team, I’m not a player—even though I got credit for a win the first week, I had nothing to do with it.
“Having nothing to do with it gives you a whole new perspective. You really feel what life without the game feels like. It was a beautiful gift to be able to feel comfortable without the game.
“At the same time, when that sinks in, you tap into your energy and where your heart is toward the game. My heart was still wanting to play and wanting to compete. That was my focus with my rehab.”
Rodgers still attempted to play last season as he was able to practice two months after the injury in November.
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But the Jets were eliminated from playoff contention after a loss to the Miami Dolphins three weeks later.
Rodgers has impressed throughout training camp as he looks to help New York make the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
He will have a strengthened offensive line thanks to the additions of Tyrson Smith, John Smith, and Morgan Moses and a new wideout in Mike Williams.
Rodgers will also be able to utilize the talent of stars Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall.
The Jets will play the San Francisco 49ers for all eyes to see in the Monday Night Football Week 1 matchup on September 9.
