Cal Sports Report

Aaron Rodgers Does Not Rule Out a Return for the Playoffs

Ex-Cal star Aaron Rodgers hinted strongly Friday that he will be back, but could he be back for the playoffs this season if the Jets make it?

Jake Curtis

Former Cal standout and current Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Friday did not rule out the possibility of returning for the 2023 NFL playoffs.

When asked specifically by Pat McAfee whether he might play in the playoffs, Rodgers said Friday in his first public comments since suffering a torn Achilles tendon on Monday, "I think as Kevin Garnett said anything's possible.

"I'm going to push this thing as much as it will allow me to, and there's markers I've go to see, where I'm at after a week, two weeks, a month, two months, and we'll see what the conversation is from there."

Rodgers never declared that he would be back this season, nor did he guarantee that he would return to action next year or ever.   However, he clearly implied that he plans to play again.

"I'm not going to make any of those statements, I don't think that's fair to myself," he said.

But he provided plenty of evidence that he will be rehabbing with the intention of returning to the field.

"Give me the doubts, give me the timetables, give me all the things that you think can and should or would happen, because all I need is that one little extra percent of inspiration," Rodgers told McAfee. "That's all I need. Give me your doubts, give me your prognostications, and then watch what I do."

He admitted it won't be easy and the fact that he will turn 40 in December does not help, but he is taking that as incentive and will explore all avenues for the best means of rehabilitation.

"Definitely some odds stacked against me based on age, but I like it," he said. "Stack all the odds against me and see what happens. It's going to be an interesting type of attacking of a rehab because I'm drawing from all these different sources. I spent that last couple days on the phone with people all over the country giving me their time and advice. I have calls today with a few others with big names who you would know who suffered the same injuries, talking about their rehab experience.

"My entire focus and dedication is on requiring the most information and then adding to what I've already put together as a pretty damn good rehab plan that I thin is going to shock some people."

He said he knew right away that his Achilles tendon was torn, and he didn't need an MRI to confirm what he already knew.  And that night brought a lot of negative thoughts.  But Wednesday's surgery went well and now he is motivated to get back.

Or this:

Cover photo of Aaron Rodgers by Vincent Carchietta, USA TODAY Sports

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Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

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