New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Jets' Aaron Rodgers shares huge admission about Achilles injury

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 4/11/24

During a recent appearance on the "icanfly" podcast, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers admitted he feared the worst when he suffered a torn Achilles four offensive snaps into the 2023 regular season.

"I was heartbroken on Sept. 11 in the locker room, thinking my career might be over and that’s how I’m going to go out," Rodgers said, per Andy Vasquez of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com.

Rodgers, who turned 40 years old this past September, hinted shortly after he went down that he could try to pull off what would have been a remarkable return to action before Week 18. It then became clear by the middle of October that he was serious about potentially playing if the Jets were in the playoff race in late December.

Gang Green instead lost five straight games and six of seven contests to drop from 4-3 to 5-9 before cooler heads prevailed.

"Running on the field on 9-11, with an American flag, something I had never done in my life," Rodgers said about what remains the top highlight of his Jets tenure. "To run on the field on a special day, when our country, 22 years ago went through some major tragedy was very special. And then for it all to be taken away."

Aaron Rodgers takes the field holding the American flag

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Rodgers accepted a pay cut last summer to help the Jets build around him through at least the upcoming campaign, and he suggested earlier in the offseason he wants to play for another "two, three or four more years." He acknowledged during the podcast that Sept. 11 was "one of the most heartbreaking nights" of his life, but he also explained how "so much changed in my life in the last six months that would not have happened had I not been carted off the field" that fateful Monday.

"But only in that has all this beauty happened in the last six months, so how can I not be grateful to the universe? She is a beautiful teacher," Rodgers added.

Earlier this week, Jets owner Woody Johnson revealed that Rodgers "is getting back to football 100 percent" after the future Hall of Famer was briefly linked with a potential vice-presidential run. Rodgers sounds committed to giving his all to the Jets this September, but time will tell if his body will cooperate for more than a handful of meaningful plays.

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