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Aaron Rodgers held out of New York Jets OTA with strained calf

profilephotocropby:Suzanne Halliburton•05/23/23•

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aaron rodgers
Elsa/Getty Images

Aaron Rodgers showed up for Jets OTAs. But despite his best intentions to participate, he needed to sit out Tuesday’s practice. Blame a strain.

The official diagnosis was a strained calf. That came straight from Aaron Rodgers, who talked to reporters once the practice finished at Florham Park, N.J. According to the newly-acquired Jets quarterback, he “tweaked” his calf. He added, “I don’t think it’s too serious.”

Rodgers also wasn’t sure when he strained the muscle. But he is pushing 40, so that makes sense.

“Tweaked my calf in a little pre-practice conditioning,” Aaron Rodgers said. “So I just took a vet day.”

And what exactly happened? “Was just running, I guess?”

Aaron Rodgers makes us care about May calf strains

With Aaron Rodgers on the sideline, Zach Wilson, the previous starter, took reps with the first team. Reserves Tim Boyle and Chris Streveler also were there.

According to reports, Rodgers seemed to have issues early in practice. He went inside for treatment, then popped back out to watch the workouts. These OTA sessions are voluntary. Mandatory mini-camp is June 13-15.

Rodgers said earlier this month that he may only attend 50 percent of the OTA workouts. A year ago, he didn’t do much with the Packers’ off-season program. Rodgers already knows the basics of new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. After all, Hackett was the Packers offensive coordinator before he left last season to become the new head coach of the Broncos. That didn’t work out well, which is why he’s now the Jets OC.

The OTA session for Tuesday was open to the media. That’s why there are so many details about a strained calf. Normally, muscles strained in May don’t generate much mention. But this is Aaron Rodgers, who switched to the Jets after spending his first 18 seasons with the Packers. The plights of Rodgers and Lamar Jackson were the two biggest NFL stories this off season.

Plus, Rodgers said he’s doing other exercises to get into condition. He said it’s the first time he’s done so since he’s been in the NFL. For example, Rodgers told reporters he’d never picked up a medicine ball.

Aaron Rodgers worked out with a medicine ball with some of his new teammates with the Jets on Tuesday. It was the second day of Organized Team Activities. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Jets head coach says his new QB is ‘kid in old man’s body’

Aaron Rodgers appeared to be in the best of health, Monday, for the start of OTAs. Coach Robert Saleh likened him to “a kid in an old man’s body.” (Rodgers will be 40 in early December).

“I think he’s one of the more thoughtful athletes I’ve been around in terms of how caring he is about people,” Saleh said. “I’m not just talking about how he interacts with coaches and teammates … he is a very thoughtful, kind person. That part is actually refreshing.”

This is what the quarterback looked like, pre-calf-strain.