‘Frustrated’ Aaron Rodgers reveals his state of mind upon suffering Achilles injury on Jets debut

Aaron Rodgers opens up about his mental state following his painful Achilles tear in Week 1 of the NFL season.

‘Frustrated’ Aaron Rodgers reveals his state of mind upon suffering Achilles injury on Jets debut

Aaron Rodgers (via AP)

The biggest ‘What if?” of the 2023 NFL season is and will be the New York Jets. The team strived hard to create a well-balanced roster in the offseason, and they managed to find the key piece to complete their puzzle—it was Aaron Rodgers. 

However, due to his unfortunate injury in the first game of the season, fans have to just wonder what would have happened if Rodgers had never gone down. While the quarterback recovered from his Achilles tendon tear, he gave an exclusive interview to ‘People’ where he spoke about the physical and mental struggles of his injury.

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The quarterback described the process as “a grind” and one that has been filled with “frustration, sadness—a lot of sadness.” Rodgers looked excited to play football after a really long time; his face had a different glow to it ever since he decided to play for the New York Jets. He knew that this young, talented roster had the potential to reach the Super Bowl in their first year together.

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Not being able to play football definitely stung Aaron Rodgers, but his kith and kin showed up and have made sure he has all the support around him that he needs. The quarterback expressed his gratitude for his kith and kin. He said:

(They) brought me food, took care of me, checked on me, FaceTime'd me, called me... I'm really thankful for everybody who reached out. It was a tough time and I was in a rough place.

Aaron Rodgers was in a dark place mentally after his painful Achilles tear

Of course, it was not just his circle of friends and relatives who were there for him; the fans across the world reached out and showed their support by sending in well wishes and praying for his speedy recovery. 

Some of the fans who had experienced the same injury as the quarterback did understand what it felt like to be in that position, and their words meant a lot to Aaron Rodgers. The quarterback stated:

I've heard from people all over the country, all over the world, who tore their Achilles, sending support because I think we're like a tight-knit family.
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers (via AFP)

The prayers seem to clearly be working because Rodgers has made an impressive recovery so far. Within just 8 weeks, he is walking without any crutches or a boot on, and in the last two weeks, he even took to the field before the Jets’ game and was seen throwing the ball. That is a positive sight that makes fans of the quarterback happy for him.

While he is on the road to return to playing football, Kirk Cousins, his peer from the Minnesota Vikings, is now in the same position that Aaron was in during Week 1. Cousins tore his Achilles and underwent surgery for the same; he, too, is effectively out for the rest of the 2023 NFL season.

The four-time MVP revealed that he spoke to Kirk Cousins after the injury to check on him and wish him a speedy recovery, while dubbing the recovery process as “a tough rehab.”

While Rodgers cannot run or move as freely as he is accustomed to, the pre-game ball throws at the Jets’ games have positively impacted his mental state as they help him “feel a little bit more normal.”

Injuries are the worst part of the game, but as an athlete, one has no choice but to deal with them and come back stronger. While the 2023 season did not go as expected for Rodgers and the Jets, most believe that the comeback is bound to be stronger than the setback.

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