The NFL preseason is about to get underway and one of the biggest questions surrounds the status of Aaron Rodgers, as he continues his recovery from the Week One ruptured Achilles that devastated his first season with the New York Jets.
The former Green Bay Packers quarterback suffered the season-ending injury on the Jets’ very first offensive series of the season last year and has worked his way back from surgery to be ready for this summer’s Jets training camp.
Robert Saleh’s side begin their slate of preseason clashes against the Washington Commanders on Saturday, August 10, but the Gang Green’s head coach doubts that his quarterback will feature at all this preseason.
“My instinct is no,” Saleh told the New York Post. “But I want to leave it open. That third game is the one where we’re deciding. He definitely won’t play in the first two.
“The discussion on the third one we just haven’t quite had yet.”
After opening their preseason against Washington, the Jets take on the Carolina Panthers before closing out against the New York Giants on Saturday, August 24.
Rodgers played in the Jets’ final preseason game last season after pushing Saleh to involve him for what were his first preseason snaps since 2018 as he looked to bed in with his new teammates following his trade from the Packers.
Should the Jets play it safe and keep the 40-year-old Rodgers out of the firing line in preseason, his return to the field will come in Week One’s Monday Night Football clash against the San Francisco 49ers on September 9.
Live on DAZN: Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov on August 3. Click here for details.