Aaron Rodgers opens up about his Achilles rehab progress

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers provided an update Friday on where things stand in his recovery after suffering a torn Achilles in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills.

While Rodgers is adjusting to life outside the football field, he told Pat McAfee of ESPN that he’s starting to see some progressions in his rehab that have him encouraged about the future.

"There's been some progressions with the rehab the last couple days. That kinda gets the hope meter trending upwards."

Aaron Rodgers discusses his Achilles rehab with @PatMcAfeeShow. pic.twitter.com/xHIFJWyPoh

— ESPN (@espn) September 22, 2023

“It’s tough,” Rodgers said. “It’s not easy. But there’s been some progressions with the rehab the last couple days. That kinda gets the hope meter trending upwards.”

Rodgers, 39, saw his first season in New York come to an end just four plays into the first offensive drive of the season. Nearly two weeks removed from surgery, Rodgers said he is out of the cast, but still wearing a walking boot and unable to walk on his own. Rodgers said he plans to return to the Jets’ facility once he’s able to walk under his own power.

“I would like to be able to walk. Whenever I can walk, then I’ll probably be back in New Jersey,” Rodgers said. “I miss the guys. Obviously, every single day I’m checking in with Zach [Wilson] and (Nathaniel) Hackett and Todd [Downing], CJ, Billy [Turner]. Whoever hits me up. The guys have been great keeping in touch with me. But I miss the guys. It’s hard to be away from them.

“We’ve got a couple home games in a row, New England this weekend and KC. Hopefully I’ll be able to get back there at some point but I’d like to be walking.”

Aaron Rodgers not putting any timelines on recovery

While the expectation is that Rodgers will miss the entirety of the 2023 season, the four-time NFL MVP is reluctant to put a timeline on it. He previously vowed he would “shock some people” with his recovery, hinting that a return during the playoffs was on the table.

“I don’t want to get caught into a timeline,” Rodgers said. “I just want to get healthy, honestly, mentally and physically, honestly. But I’m going to do everything I can rehab-wise to put myself in a position to be ready to play football again at some point. And that’s the goal.

“I mean, obviously, when this happened, there’s a lot of thoughts about, ‘That’s it, cash it in, you’re done.’ I just don’t feel like I am, so I’m going to put myself in position to be able to play again.”