Aaron Rodgers tosses football before game, stands on sideline for Jets' win
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers during pregame against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Lee S. Weissman
Aaron Rodgers has vowed to “shock some people” with a quicker-than-expected return from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon.
On Sunday, the 39-year-old did just that, in a sense.
Rodgers showed up at MetLife Stadium for the Jets’ 20-14 victory over the Eagles — the final score was another shocker — without crutches.
But there was more.
Before the game, Rodgers played catch on the MetLife field for about five minutes. Then he spent the entire game on the home team sideline wearing a headset and a multi-colored Jets baseball cap.
“It was awesome,” backup quarterback Tim Boyle told Newsday.
“Just the few conversations we had with him on the sideline — extremely beneficial. He sees the game in such a beautiful way.”
Said Zach Wilson: “I think [Rodgers] was mostly talking with the coaches.
“Obviously, my headset is just with [offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett]. But it’s always good having him around.”
Before the game, Rodgers was able to put weight on his left foot as he planted and threw the football to a Jets staffer and cornerback Sauce Gardner, who was inactive because of a concussion. Rodgers was limping but moving well overall.
Rodgers certainly seems to be progressing faster than anyone expected. He suffered the injury on the fourth offensive play in the Jets’ season opener on Sept. 11 and had surgery two days later. He has been rehabbing in California.
“It’s unbelievable,” coach Robert Saleh said.
“A lot of people I’ve talked to, I won’t name names, who’ve also had [the surgery], everyone’s in awe that he’s even walking. For him to be on the sideline, standing the entire time, he’s a freakazoid.”
Rodgers hasn’t ruled out returning this season. In fact, he has dared people to say he will not be able to make an unprecedented quick return to the field.
A month ago on Pat McAfee’s show, Rodgers said: “What I’d like to say is: Give me the doubts. Give me the timetables. Give me all the things that you think can, should or will happen because all I need is that one little extra percent of inspiration . . . And then watch what I do.”
Rodgers first talked about returning for the playoffs, which seemed like a long shot after he was injured and the Jets got off to a 1-3 start.
But with a pair of wins going into the bye week and the struggling Giants on tap after it, could the Jets make Rodgers’ wishes come true by making it to the playoffs?
After Sunday’s result, that wouldn’t seem so shocking.
This was the second Jets game that Rodgers has attended since he was injured. He watched their 23-20 home loss to Kansas City on Oct. 1 from a suite.
Injured players generally are discouraged from standing on the sideline lest they get barreled over during the fast-paced action.
Rodgers did appear to stand many yards behind the action most of the time to protect himself from harm.
“That’s him,” Saleh said. “He said he wants to be on the sideline. He’s going to be on the sideline.”
Anthony Rieber covers sports media and business and professional sports (you know, games and trades and things). He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since Jan. 1, 2026.
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