NFL icon Aaron Rodgers is seriously injured. The 39-year-old superstar quarterback of the New York Jets tore his Achilles tendon in the first quarter of the season opener against the Buffalo Bills. In the worst case, the multiple MVP could even face the end of his career.
The certainty came on Monday afternoon German time. Aaron Rodgers, NFL superstar for the New York Jets, has torn his Achilles tendon and will miss the entire season – a nightmare for the quarterback and the fans of the green and white.
Just a few minutes after the start of the first game of the season, the NFL superstar sat down on the grass after a tackle by Leonard Floyd – and didn’t get up from there. He had previously taken a few steps before he felt pain in his Achilles tendon.
The 39-year-old was unable to continue playing and was taken off the field. Replacement quarterback Zach Wilson came into play for him. Wilson, the man who so deeply disappointed Jets fans and who was replaced by Rodgers, the four-time MVP, before the season.
Rodgers injury: “My heart goes out to Aaron now, no one else.”
The Jets then won the NFL season opener 22:16 against the Buffalo Bills. But the drama surrounding Rodgers far overshadowed this game.
Coach Robert Saleh had already feared the serious injury before the MRI scans. “We are worried about his Achilles tendon,” he said: “It’s not good.” He wanted to “say another prayer and keep hope,” said Saleh: “My heart is now with Aaron, no one else.”
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also wanted to pray for Rodgers. He wrote on the online platform X (formerly Twitter): “I hate this, man.” But his hopes were dashed. The examination confirmed Rodgers’ serious injury.
Rodgers signed with New York Jets for five years
Rodgers agreed to a two-year contract worth $75 million in the offseason. Technically speaking, it is a five-year contract that consists of a three-year contract plus a two-year option (“void years”).
If Rodgers comes back next year, he would no longer necessarily be number 1 for the Jets. Rodgers will be 40 in 2024. It is questionable whether he will be able to show real top performances after his injury. If not, Rodgers’ time as starting quarterback would be over.
The quarterback was drafted by the Packers in 2005 and has since developed into one of the best playmakers in NFL history.
After three years as a substitute behind the legendary Brett Favre, he was a regular player from the 2008 season and has since been voted the league’s most valuable player four times. In February 2011, he led his team to victory in the Super Bowl.
