Aaron Rodgers spent about five minutes throwing during the New York Jets’ pregame warmups Sunday afternoon before their home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The injured star quarterback did not appear to need crutches to get around the stadium, less than five weeks since he tore his Achilles in his Jets debut.
According to reporters on the scene, Rodgers threw to a Jets staff member about two hours before kickoff and threw a few to Sauce Gardner, the Jets’ No. 1 cornerback who was out for Sunday’s game due to a concussion.
Rodgers underwent surgery on his Achilles Sept. 13 with noted sports physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Rodgers has said his goal is to return this season.
“It’s pretty obvious I’m well ahead of my normal protocols when it comes to rehab for this kind of thing, but that was always what my mindset was,” Rodgers said on “The Pat McAfee Show” Oct. 3. “… Being as smart as possible not trying to stress the Achilles, but stressing the Achilles in a way that allows me to do movement quicker and speed up whatever timeline that has been the standard for this type of injury.”
The standard recovery timetable for an Achilles tear usually lands in the three-month range, after which NFL players can ramp up their rehabilitation to return to action. ElAttrache used a “speed bridge” technique that is said to promote faster healing.
“There’s nothing normal about how I’m attacking this rehab,” Rodgers said. “The common practice is about six weeks in a boot, and I was in a shoe in 13 days.”
–Field Level Media