Jets’ Robert Saleh calls Aaron Rodgers’ presence ‘his superpower’،
FLORHAM PARK, NJ – A day later, the New York Jets were still talking about Aaron Rodgers – about his impromptu pregame throwing session, his role on the sideline and his potential impact in the weeks to come.
“His superpower is his presence,” coach Robert Saleh said Monday. “Him being in this building, with his teammates, in the locker room, his positive attitude, his protest thoughts and all that, I think it’s powerful.”
Rodgers, just five weeks removed from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon, stunned spectators by showing up at MetLife Stadium on Sunday without crutches and throwing for five minutes on the field about two hours before the upset 20 -14 Philadelphia Eagles.
Instead of watching from a private box, Rodgers remained on the sideline, wore a headset and contributed to the in-game conversation between offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and other assistants. For safety reasons, injured players are usually not allowed on the sidelines, but he got permission from the Jets on Saturday.
“I guess you’d have to ask Hackett how much that actually contributes,” Saleh said of Rodgers’ contribution to the game, “but I definitely know he has ideas and I know he helps the quarterback -back as best he can. So him with a helmet, I can tell you this: it doesn’t hurt.”
Zach Wilson, who replaced Rodgers when the four-time MVP was injured in the fourth game of the season, said he didn’t have much interaction with him on the sideline. But they spoke at halftime. Like the rest of his teammates, Wilson was impressed that Rodgers was able to walk unassisted and throw a football shortly after surgery.
“Yeah, it’s amazing,” he said. “I mean, this guy’s behavior, the way he attacks everything, is special. So I’m not surprised at all.”
Rodgers, 39, didn’t have a walking boot; he wore regular sneakers, although he could have used elevators in his left shoe to elevate his heel and take pressure off his Achilles tendon. He said his goal is to play again this season, which would mean less than four months of recovery time — an unprecedented amount of time for an NFL player suffering from a torn Achilles. The Jets (3-3), riding a two-game winning streak, believe he can help the team just by being there.
“As a coach, of course, selfishly, I want him here every day,” Saleh said. “I want him in every game. I want him on the training field. I want him on the sidelines. I want him in the locker room because he’s an incredible human. Outside of the plan and playing ability , the intangibles that he brings to his teammates, and the fuel that his teammates will give him, I think, is priceless. You just can’t quantify it. You can’t put a price on it.
Rodgers, who arrived in late April via a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers, quickly galvanized the team with his hugs and high-fives leadership style. After the injury, he returned home to California for surgery and rehabilitation on September 13, returning to New Jersey briefly to make up for the October 1 loss to the Kansas Chiefs. He watched this match from a box.
On Sunday, he got closer to the action, watching the Jets intercept Jalen Hurts three times and shut out the Eagles (5-1) in the second half to energize a team whose season seemed dead just two weeks ago.
“He’s already a Hall of Fame quarterback and he’s someone who always seems to thrive when he’s in doubt,” tight end Tyler Conklin said. “Whether it was from the beginning of the draft by – who was it, Alex Smith? – to waiting behind Brett Favre to now, at this point in his career, injuring his Achilles after everything that happened in this offseason. … It’s going to be exciting to see him finish writing his story because he loves proving people wrong.
Receiver Allen Lazard, who played with Rodgers in Green Bay, said it was “heartwarming” and “encouraging” to see him on the team, knowing “how horrible this injury is and the recovery process that is associated with it. Most players need six to nine months to return.
Saleh said he has spoken to people who have had Achilles surgery and they all say Rodgers has progressed at an exceptional rate.
“I’ve never had an Achilles tear – I hope I never have, I don’t want to ruin my golf game – but from what I understand, the fact that he’s walking around is crazy,” the coach said.
