Ex-Jets quarterback shares a bold Aaron Rodgers prediction
Boomer Esiason, the current analyst for “The NFL Today” and a former quarterback for the New York Jets, doesn’t think injured signal-caller Aaron Rodgers will recover from his torn Achilles tendon sustained in Week 1 in time to play in New York’s game against the Miami Dolphins on December 17.
Regarding Rodgers, Esiason stated bluntly, “He’s not coming back,” on Friday’s “Boomer and Gio” show on WFAN, according to Ryan Chichester of Audacy. “It doesn’t matter what people think. Considering the situation of the team and his foot, the Jets would be foolish to start him.
Still connected to the Jets, Esiason said last month that some in the organization were “trying to keep the team engaged” by convincing players that Rodgers could finish his incredible comeback in time to salvage the season for New York. The Jets start the next weekend at 4-7, and the ESPN Football Power Index gave Gang Green a 0.5% chance of making the playoffs as of early Friday evening.
After returning to practice on Wednesday, Rodgers will turn 40 on Saturday. According to at least one orthopedic surgeon, he should wait “closer to five months” after the initial injury before playing against a live defense in a significant game. Club legend Joe Namath, meanwhile, openly advocated for vice chairman Christopher Johnson and chairman Woody Johnson of the Jets to bench Aaron Rodgers in the year 2024.
Esiason continued on Friday, “His foot needs time.” “He is an individual. He is not the Almighty. I give him a lot of credit for rehabbing his [butt] off, but it’s possible that he’sbut the reasonable anticipation to witness him making a tackle on the football field? Not at all.”
When it comes to the Jets’ terrible offense heading into this Sunday’s home game against the 5-6 Atlanta Falcons, Esiason might be proven correct, if only because Rodgers is unable to turn it around. Considering that Aaron Rodgers intends to start for the Jets in September of next year, a defeat by Atlanta in Week 18 should put an end to any discussion about Rodgers playing before Week 18.
