Cameras caught Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers telling Chargers safety Derwin James after Monday’s game to “give me a few weeks” for his return from a Week 1 Achilles tear. Rodgers clarified those comments during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show Tuesday.
“I didn’t realize that (statement) was going to get caught there,” Rodgers told McAfee. “Obviously that was said with a little tongue-in-cheek there. It’d be nice to be back in a couple of weeks. That’s probably not anywhere near a realistic timeline.”
Rodgers would go on to say: “It could be a few, it could be a lot. It’s more of a phrase that didn’t have a specific timetable. I said it smiling, joking.”
Rodgers has repeatedly said he would like to return at some point this season but has also noted that the Jets would also have to be in the playoff mix for him to consider an early return. The Jets are now 4-4 following Monday’s loss to the Chargers and sit one game out of a playoff spot. The Steelers, Browns and Bengals currently hold the three wild cards at 5-3, the Bills are the first team out at 5-4 and the Texans and Chargers also sit at 4-4.
The Jets would love to see Rodgers return at some point, but they’ve got to find a way to right the ship with Zach Wilson. Otherwise, it will be another season without playing deep into January and Rodgers won’t play in a regular-season game again until next September.