Mad Dog Russo indicates Aaron Rodgers’ rush to recovery in 2023 removes excuse for skipping preseason
Aaron Rodgers entered the 2023 NFL season with sky-high hopes placed on his shoulders. However, he tore his Achilles, hitting an injury wall before he even completed a single pass. Following the shocking turn of events, he managed to make a run at nearly returning during the campaign in what would have been a rare feat.
It was a hot topic last season that kept Rodgers in the spotlight, but now one NFL analyst has turned that against him. Speaking on Wednesday's edition of "First Take," NFL analyst Mad Dog Russo expressed doubts about his Achilles injury holding him out of all preseason action.
[00:01:06] I would play him a little bit. [Didn't he] have the surgery last year, that radical Achilles surgery to make him possibly return for a Jet playoff run in January? So now it's seven months later. So now we can't play him a couple of quarters in a preseason game? I think you need to put the last year behind him. I think a couple of good quarters wouldn't hurt," Russo said.
He went on to add that the third preseason game would work. It seemingly would allow him to knock the rust off and any trauma from the injury last September before the first game. It also would allow him to skip most of the preseason, avoiding the risk of any new injuries.
Aaron Rodgers' injuries create anxiety ahead of 2024 debut
Some have called Aaron Rodgers the greatest regular season quarterback in NFL history. However, his first week of the year has been far from stellar in recent years.
In 2018, Rodgers suffered a mid-game injury in a showdown against the Chicago Bears.
After missing much of the second quarter, Rodgers returned in the second half down by 20 points. He managed to pull off one of the most memorable comebacks of the decade. However, his injury went on to haunt him for the rest of the year.
Then, in 2023, Aaron Rodgers suffered an Achilles injury. This time, there was no comeback. With two of the last six Week 1 performances featuring a debilitating injury, Jets fans rightly have a reason for apprehension. Even if Rodgers makes it through his first game intact, the quarterback's age and recent injury history won't be ignored by fans.
Will Garrett Wilson's quarterback deliver the Jets a winning oasis in 2024?