Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down with a devastating season-ending injury during his first-ever game with the New York Jets in 2023.
He only played four snaps for the Jets last year before suffering an Achilles injury in a Week 1 game versus the Buffalo Bills, resulting in him being done for the rest of that campaign.
Former Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers shares admission after suffering injury in 2023
In a recent sit-down interview with former NFL quarterback Alex Smith, Rodgers admitted the scary thought he had on his mind while on the field shortly after he suffered the injury (h/t Bleacher Report).
“But when I stood up, I said, ‘ugh.’ I knew it, you know, and i just went down. And everything flashing before your eyes. The 18 years in Green Bay, the trade, the spring, the excitement, the summer, the city, Hard Knocks, running on the field with the flag for the first time, 9/11. Yeah, and then just thinking that’s gonna be the last time. Because you know, I’m old. And the rehab I knew was going to be tough. And so, in the training room, I really thought, ‘Damn, that’s how I’m going to go out?’
Somehow, Rodgers was able to recover from the injury, and at 40 years old (turning 41 in December), he is set to start anew with the Jets. Rodgers, who was traded by the Packers to New York in 2023, will start under center on Monday night against the Niners at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
On a side note, Smith and Rodgers both entered the NFL at the same time. Smith was the top pick overall in the 2005 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers while Rodgers was selected late in the first round (24th overall) by the Packers.
