The 2023 season for Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets might end up being only four plays long.
The Jets fear the former Green Bay Packers quarterback tore his Achilles tendon on a sack during the team’s opening offensive possession of the regular season on Monday night vs. the Buffalo Bills.
Coach Robert Saleh said Rodgers will have an MRI on Tuesday but the assumption is the imaging will only confirm what the Jets already know.
“It’s not good,” Saleh said.
Rodgers, a future Hall of Famer, turns 40 years old in December.
The Jets trailed 13-3 after losing Rodgers but mounted a late comeback and beat the Bills in overtime, 22-16. Zach Wilson took over for Rodgers at quarterback.
If Rodgers misses the rest of the regular season, the conditional 2024 draft pick sent by the Jets to the Packers — which could have become a first-round pick if Rodgers played at least 65 percent of the team’s offensive snaps — would stay a second-rounder.
On the sack, Rodgers’ left foot was firmly planted in the ground as he was twisted down by Bills edge rusher Leonard Floyd. He had to be helped from the field and was eventually carted off after consultation in the team’s sideline injury tent. The 39-year-old quarterback dealt with a left calf injury during training camp.
Rodgers’ lone passing attempt on the opening drive was incomplete.
The injury, if confirmed, would end Rodgers’ 19th NFL season after only one passing attempt and four snaps. He played his first 18 seasons in Green Bay. Rodgers previously suffered significant injuries during the 2006 (foot), 2013 (collarbone), 2017 (collarbone) and 2018 (knee) seasons.