The news about Aaron Rodgers’ injury status keeps coming — and none of it is good.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Rodgers has resisted taking any scans to reveal the extent of his injuries because he does not want to come off the field.
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According to Rapoport, Rodgers’ hamstring injury against Denver in Week 4 was “believed to be a particularly significant one.” However, Rodgers said he was fine and would continue to play.
The fact that the Jets have allowed Rodgers to get away with this may speak to how much control he has had within the organization. Then again, many players have gutted their way through extensive injuries that are undisclosed to the public. Some could view this as the competitive spirit in Rodgers that refuses to leave the field no matter what.
Rapoport speculated that the hamstring injury could be why Rodgers’ play has been subpar.
This belief makes sense in theory. Rodgers played fairly well over the first three weeks of the season, especially in his 281-yard performance against the Patriots in Week 3. His play nosedived beginning with the Denver game.
There is little doubt that Rodgers’ injuries have hampered his play. The question is to what extent. As Michael Nania detailed, Rodgers’ jitteriness in the pocket and lack of confidence in his body are the biggest indicators of his drastic decline.
There were already strong hints of this issue in 2022. It was easy to blame them on his thumb injury, but Rodgers was already one of the least-pressured quarterbacks in the NFL that season (the fourth-lowest at 26.7%). He still looked jittery even when not under pressure.
On the fourth play of the 2023 season, Rodgers’ lack of confidence was on full display when he did not pull the trigger on an open slant route, resulting in an unnecessary hit and ultimately a torn Achilles.
Based on The Athletic and Rapoport, it seems that Rodgers’ days as the Jets’ starting quarterback could be numbered. If he wants to continue his NFL career, it will likely not be with the New York Jets.
