Jets QB Rodgers likely won’t return this season
Aaron Rodgers’ quest to make an improbable return this season for the New York Jets appears over.
The 40-year-old quarterback said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday he’s not yet 100% healthy in his recovery from a torn left Achilles tendon and is still a few weeks away.
“I’m not going to slow my rehab down,” Rodgers said. “I’m going to keep attacking it every single day. But now without a timetable to come back, obviously we can be as smart as we need to be.”
Rodgers said if the Jets had won last Sunday at Miami and remained in the postseason hunt, he “would have pushed it as far as I could this week” even at less than fully healthy to be ready to play against Washington on Sunday. But the Jets were routed 30-0 and eliminated from the playoff hunt for the 13th straight year.
“If I was 100% today, I’d be definitely pushing to play,” Rodgers said. “But the fact is I’m not.”
Rodgers never firmly said he won’t play this season, but strongly indicated that is the case.
“I think the whole time it’s been, you know, hoping that we’re still in it because it was unrealistic to think that I would be 100% to be medically cleared at any point during the regular season,” Rodgers said. “I do feel like in the next three to four weeks, it would be very possible to get to 100%, but obviously not there.
“And so the conversation was away from 100% medical clearance to a willingness to play. And that’s never been a problem for me.”
Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon just four snaps into his debut with the Jets on Sept. 11, moments after he jogged onto the field while carrying an American flag in front of a jam-packed MetLife Stadium.
Rodgers doesn’t think next season will be his last, saying he always wanted to play at least two years for the Jets and this season was “kind of a lost year.”
STEELERS’ PICKENS JABS REPORTERS »
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hears the outside criticism about his hustle. More specifically, his lack of hustle.
He could not care less. “The people that are questioning my effort, they don’t play football,” Pickens told reporters Tuesday. “They do what y’all do.”
Pickens has come under scrutiny of late, even from coach Mike Tomlin, for questionable decision-making at times. The latest examples came during Pittsburgh’s 30-13 loss to Indianapolis on Saturday.
The second-year player neglected to block downfield on a run by teammate Jaylen Warren in the first quarter, allowing Warren to be tackled short of the goal line. Pickens also jogged downfield following an Indianapolis interception, essentially jogging away from Colts safety Julian Blackmon.
Videos of Pickens’ lackluster effort went viral on social media.
“Everybody that got opinions are all media, surface guys,” Pickens said.
“None of them play football. They are never going to be in the NFL, they are just media guys.”
Not everyone. Tomlin said recently Pickens needs to do a better job of dealing with adversity amid a late skid that’s dropped the Steelers (7-7) to the outside of the AFC playoff chase.
FALCONS BENCH RIDDER »
The Atlanta Falcons are removing quarterback Desmond Ridder from the starting job for the second time this season following his continued turnover woes in the team’s latest loss.
Taylor Heinicke was listed as the starter in the updated depth chart released by the team on Tuesday for this week’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. The change was not a surprise.
Ridder threw an interception in the red zone to set up Carolina’s game-winning scoring drive in the Panthers’ 9-7 win on Sunday.
The loss knocked the Falcons (6-8) out of first place in the NFC South and raised new questions about coach Arthur Smith’s job security in his third season.
The Falcons have suffered back-to-back losses to division rivals Tampa Bay and Carolina, leaving the team fighting long odds to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Smith said Monday he had not made a final decision on the starting quarterback this week, but it appeared clear he was leaning toward again replacing Ridder. The Falcons were 4-4 and tied for first place in the division when Ridder first lost the starting job on Nov. 1.
The Indianapolis Colts suspended receiver-punt returner Isaiah McKenzie and cornerback Tony Brown for the final three regular-season games because of conduct detrimental to the team. Team officials did not provide specifics Tuesday about what occurred.
Both players made their greatest impact this season on special teams, and both were inactive for Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh.
In a corresponding move, the Colts promoted running back Tyler Goodson from the practice squad back to the active roster. Goodson had his first carries of the season in Saturday’s 30-13 victory and finished with 11