Keeping aside the turbulent end, Aaron Rodgers had a successful career with the Green Bay Packers. The quarterback earned himself several titles and accolades alongside the glory of a Super Bowl trophy during his tenure in Green Bay. Expectations were high when the veteran decided to start his new journey with the New York Jets.
However, the sky-high expectations came to an abrupt end as Rodgers tore his Achilles in his debut match. After defying the odds, the signal-caller has enlisted himself to the Jets active roster, albeit a recent update says the QB himself didn’t want to get elevated to the active squad.
Rodgers was reluctant to rejoin Jets’ active roster
After a prolonged hiatus following a severe Achilles injury and subsequent surgery, Aaron Rodgers has finally been activated from injured reserve. The Jets quarterback’s return, though, won’t see any game time this season. Instead, it will permit him to continue his rehabilitation process while actively participating in team practices.
Surprisingly, the four-time MVP reportedly expressed opposition to Gang Green’s decision to reinstate him onto the active roster following his Achilles injury. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, he was hesitant to rejoin the roster as he was aware it would result in someone losing their job, per Bleacher Report.
Despite Rodgers’ reservations, the Jets general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh opted to activate the four-time MVP before the window for doing so closed. This decision stemmed from the urgency to utilize his 21-day practice window.
Saleh clarified the QB won’t immediately return to the playing field but stressed that his activation was a strategic move in his rehabilitation journey. It shifted towards the signal-caller engaging in quality practice sessions with his teammates rather than working out in isolation on injured reserve.
The Jets’ offensive dynamics witnessed turbulence following Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending injury. Initially relying on Zach Wilson, they briefly pivoted to Tim Boyle before reverting back to Wilson. However, after Wilson suffered a concussion, the team had to turn to Trevor Siemian. With A-Rod’s return looming, Gang Green is hopeful that he will be fully recovered and seamlessly integrated into the offense by the start of the next season.
Media personality criticizes Aaron Rodgers’ return to Jets
ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s announcement of Aaron Rodgers receiving medical clearance initially sparked hope for the QB’s return. However, the veteran himself later expressed skepticism during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show by casting doubt on his readiness to play at full capacity. Despite this, the Jets activated Rodgers onto the 53-man roster. The decision stirred heated reactions from many sports enthusiasts, especially from radio personality Shaun Morash.
Morash’s rant stemmed from the Jets action of releasing fullback Nick Bawden to create a spot for A-Rod. This move didn’t sit well with the radio personality, and he vehemently criticized the 40-year-old star by labeling him a “selfish”, “self-fulfilling,” and “manipulating” figure for potentially taking away Bawden’s roster spot.
“This is why Rodgers is a pig. This self-fulfilling, selfish, manipulating, dare I say monster now, is potentially going to take a roster check away from Nick Bawden for the final three weeks, who did nothing but be a good Jet all year.”
Continuing his jabs at the airwaves, Morash condemned the decision by mentioning the impact on Bawden and potential repercussions for other players. He said Aaron Rodgers had done nothing for the team and had no reason to claim a spot on the roster, especially at the expense of other available players.
“Even if Bawden goes to the practice squad and then gets elevated, guess what? Some guy now before the holidays is going to get waived off the practice squad and lose his practice squad checks because your quarterback that’s done nothing for you is a selfish pig and has no reason being activated on this roster for three weeks. He’s got no reason to be on the roster, and now somebody’s losing their job because he’s a pig!”
Good update is that the Jets later signed Bawden to the practice squad. However, as Morash predicted, Gang Green later released another player, cornerback Kalon Barnes, to accommodate A-Rod.
