Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets debut was quick and brutal. The four-time NFL MVP left the sector injured in the course of the first collection of his profession with New York, who went on to beat the Buffalo Payments in thrilling style on Monday evening.
Rodgers underwent an MRI on Tuesday and the Jets confirmed the quarterback had torn his left achilles tendon, an damage that can require season-ending surgical procedure.
“I really feel extra for Aaron than anybody,” Jet head coach Robert Saleh mentioned on Tuesday. “He has invested a lot into this group. A lot into this journey that he’s launched into and desirous to be a part of what we’ve obtained going right here, and the way a lot he’s invested into not solely this group however his teammates, himself, this fanbase, this metropolis. I’ve quite a lot of feelings for him. … It’s actually all about him. It’s. I don’t have a look at it like woe is me right here for [the] New York group. I feel guys are enthusiastic about with the ability to step in and proceed the issues we’ve been constructing. However quite a lot of damage for Aaron.”
The 39-year-old left the Inexperienced Bay Packers this offseason to hitch the Jets, a longtime punchline within the NFL. It was hoped he would remodel the fortunes of a crew whose final playoff look got here within the 2010 season.
However whereas the crew have a gifted protection and a few younger stars on offense, their offensive line has been beneath scrutiny and Rodgers was quickly beneath strain on Monday evening in opposition to the Payments.
After he was sacked by Leonard Floyd, Rodgers stayed on the turf and needed to be escorted off the sector by members of the Jets employees. After a short evaluation, he was carted into the tunnel for additional remedy sporting a protecting boot. X-rays on the damage didn’t present any damaged bones however Rodgers was dominated out of the remainder of the sport.
“Seeing him go down and getting in and seeing him at half-time was robust,” Jets receiver Garrett Wilson mentioned after the sport. “I’m praying for Aaron and his restoration.”
He was changed by back-up Zach Wilson, who struggled final season and threw an interception not lengthy after approaching to the sector. However Wilson gathered himself and threw a fourth-quarter landing to Garrett Wilson, who made a superb juggling catch to tie the rating at 13-13.
The Jets protection had the bigger say within the sport, nonetheless, and Jordan Whitehead intercepted Josh Allen thrice. New York additionally recovered an Allen fumble, which led to a subject purpose that put the Jets up 16-13 with beneath two minutes to play. Allen then led the Payments on a protracted drive and Tyler Bass’s last-gasp subject purpose tied the sport.
The drama was not over although: the Payments’ opening drive of additional time fizzled out and Xavier Gipson, an undrafted rookie, returned the following punt 65 yards to win the sport on his NFL debut.
“That’s somebody that deserves every little thing that comes his method,” mentioned Garrett Wilson of Gipson after the sport. “He’s particular with the ball in his arms and I’m glad the world obtained to see that at the moment.”
Rodgers is taken into account one of many biggest quarterbacks of all time, and was traded to the Jets this 12 months after 18 seasons with Inexperienced Bay, with whom he received a Tremendous Bowl and made the Professional Bowl on 10 events. New York acquired Rodgers, the No 15 total decide and a fifth-rounder on this 12 months’s draft from Inexperienced Bay on 26 April. In trade, the Packers obtained the thirteenth total choice, a second-rounder, a sixth-rounder and a conditional 2024 second-round decide that may have turn into a first-rounder if Rodgers had performed 65% of New York’s performs this season, one thing that now is not going to occur.
Rodgers, who has repeatedly mentioned he received’t be one-and-done with the Jets, agreed in July to a restructured contract that provides him $75m in totally assured cash over this season and subsequent. It quantities to a virtually $35m pay minimize from the deal he had with Inexperienced Bay during which he was set to make $110m assured.
