Aaron Rodgers eggs on doubters days after Achilles’ surgery

0 2 minutes read

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said in a broadcast interview Friday that he plans to “shock some people” with his recovery from the torn Achilles’ tendon suffered four plays into his regular season debut this week with the New York Jets.

“It doesn’t do anything to make prognostications, honestly, other than help my own personal mental state, you know,” Rodgers said during his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “But, yeah, I’m going to try and push this thing as much as it’ll allow me to. There’s markers. I’ve got to see where I’m at after a week, in two weeks, in a month, in two months. And then we’ll see what the conversation is.”

Rodgers, 39, underwent surgery Wednesday, he said, after being injured during the Jets’ 22-16 overtime triumph Monday night over the Buffalo Bills in East Rutherford, N.J. The four-time NFL MVP left little doubt Friday that he intends to return to football.

NFL viewership was strong in Week 1. Now Aaron Rodgers is out for the year.

“What I’d like to say is: Give me the doubts,” Rodgers said. “Give me the timetables. Give me all the things that you think can, should or will happen because all I need is that one little extra percent of inspiration. … Give me your doubts. Give me your prognostications. And then watch what I do.”

Jets Coach Robert Saleh said at a news conference Tuesday that Rodgers is “out for the year.” Rodgers declined Friday to provide a definitive timetable for his recovery and rehabilitation.

“There’s a lot of different ideas about the overall length of the rehab,” Rodgers said. “What I’d like to say is just because somebody has never done it a certain way doesn’t mean it’s not possible. I definitely have some odds stacked against me, based on age. But I like it. Stack all the odds up against me and see what happens. … My entire focus and dedication is on acquiring the most information and then adding to what I’ve already put together as a pretty damn good rehab plan that’s going to, I think, shock some people.”

Rodgers was asked whether he believes that he can play again this season and said: “I’m not going to make any of those statements. I don’t feel like that’s fair to myself.” Pressed on whether he thinks a return this season, perhaps during the playoffs, would be possible, Rodgers said, “I think, as Kevin Garnett said, anything is possible.”

Rodgers said he knew that he’d torn his Achilles before that was confirmed by an MRI exam.

“Monday was an amazing day to start, an amazing night running on the field with the flag, electric,” he said. “And then it turned into one of the toughest 24-hour stretches I’ve had in my life, for sure: a lot of sadness, a lot of tears, a lot of dark frustration, anger, all the gamut of emotions. But the sun rose the next day and I found myself in L.A. and had surgery on Wednesday. And since then I’ve been feeling better.”

Source link