The New York Jets are on a bye this week, but the drama swirling inside the troubled organization hasn’t taken a break.
Aaron Rodgers, who has been rumored to be “hacked” in recent months, has reportedly resisted medicals offered by the Jets. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Rodgers did not want to “disclose the severity of his injuries for fear of having to leave the field.”
“Banged up” is a roundabout term used when a player has multiple injuries, which Rodgers is. But now the continued lack of details about his injuries makes more sense; The Jets don’t know what’s going on with Rodgers because he won’t let them know. At this point, it’s unclear if Rodgers even knows the specifics of his injuries.
It’s possible that these injuries of unknown severity are what’s keeping him from playing better. The 40-year-old is coming off an Achilles injury that limited him to just four snaps in the 2023 season and has been a magnet for leg injuries since his return. He said his knee was a little swollen after the Jets’ Week 4 loss to the Denver Broncos, but Rodgers also suffered a “significant” hamstring injury that he insisted he sit out, according to Rapoport. A week later, he sprained his low ankle against the Minnesota Vikings. Then in Week 7, Rodgers’ hamstring problem flared up again. He overcame all these injuries
With just six games left in the season and the Jets committed to rebuilding after firing their head coach and general manager, Rodgers’ resistance to team medicals may be related to his desire to play in 2025. If he sits or is placed on injured reserve, he has chance to show no improvement or prove to at least one GM or owner that as a (soon to be) 41 year old he has enough in the tank to the team was led by glory.
Playing through multiple injuries may not be the best way for Rodgers to accomplish that, but if he wants to establish himself as the starting quarterback in 2025, he may decide it’s his only option.