Aaron Rodgers Had ‘Speed Bridge’ Achilles Surgery With Eye on Playoff Return, per Report

An innovative surgery could expedite Rodgers’s return to the field.

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers may have been on to something when he told The Pat McAfee Show earlier this week that “anything is possible” in terms of a potential return to the field this season.

Rodgers, who tore his Achilles on New York’s first offensive possession of the season last Monday night, underwent a “speed bridge” procedure on Wednesday, which is designed to accelerate the normal rehabilitation process from the injury, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

The surgery, which was conducted by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, included placing an internal brace called a speed bridge on Rodgers’s Achilles. 

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is sacked by Bills defender Leonard Floyd :: Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports

The speed bridge is designed to protect the repair and expedite a potential return to the field. While the speed bridge does not guarantee a quicker return, it is designed to enhance the strength of the repair and guard it against stretching, according to the report from Rapoport and Pelissero.

The speed bridge is a new surgical process which, if successful, could return Rodgers to the lineup in as little as four months. The expedited timeline would give Rodgers an opportunity to make a mid-January return for a potential playoff run.