Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers pulled off the comeback to end all comebacks against the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football.
Having been carted off the field with a knee injury in the first half, Rodgers returned in the third quarter with his team down 20-0. He proceeded to lead the squad to a dazzling 24-23 win in front of the home crowd.
All the while, Mr. Rodgers was hobbling big time. He couldn’t put any real pressure on the injured knee and was nowhere near 100 percent. Despite this, Rodgers emphatically claimed following the win that he would be on the field Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Unfortunately for Rodgers, that’s not his decision to make. Head coach Mike McCarthy will talk with the team’s medical staff as a way to get a better understanding about Rodgers’ availability.
In talking to the media on Monday, McCarthy would not commit to Rodgers playing against the Vikings. In fact, he seems a tad skeptical about the possibility.
Mike McCarthy says the #Packers are still collecting information on Aaron Rodgers. "I know Aaron wants to play and is always driven to play, but that's all I have for you right now."
— Michael Cohen (@Michael_Cohen13) September 10, 2018
If Rodgers is unable to go, DeShone Kizer would get the start against one of the NFL’s best defenses. Given that he tossed up a pick-six to Khalil Mack Sunday night and struggled in replacing Rodgers, that would be a less-than-ideal scenario for Green Bay.
Then again, the Packers don’t want to risk further injury to Rodgers in an early-season game. While there’s no structural damage to the quarterback’s knee, he’s more at risk of serious injury right now.
It’s certainly something to keep an eye on over the next several days.