Injuries are inevitable for NFL players. It really is a war of attrition, and the older a player is, the more likely his body will eventually rebel.
For Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who turns 41 in early December, the rebellion began early. His knee has been swelling, which aging knees tend to do. He also has had an ankle injury. He now has a hamstring problem.
Rodgers dismissed his presence on this week’s Wednesday injury report with both knee and hamstring issues by saying that any condition for which the player receives treatment must be disclosed. However, he was limited in practice. Plenty of players who get treatment for injuries have those injuries disclosed — and they fully participate in practice.
Rodgers acknowledged he has swelling in his knee from time to time. Asked whether the injuries are hampering him during games, he said, “Not really.”
“I feel good on game days,” Rodgers said.
We’ll see if that continues. The Jets have their second Sunday-to-Thursday turnaround of 2024 in the next week. After visiting the Patriots, they host the Texans on Thursday night.
These two games are critical to the Jets’ fortunes. Win both, and 4-5 becomes the starting point for a run. Lose both, and 2-7 becomes night-night for New York.
Regardless, if they’re going to have any chance to turn things around, they need Rodgers. Currently, it feels like he’s doing everything he can to hold the lower half of his body together for as long as he can.