Will Aaron Rodgers start at quarterback for the New York Jets against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13?
“Absolutely,” interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich responded when asked by the media on Monday, November 25.
NFL Insider Dianna Russini revealed in a column for The Athletic that “it appears increasingly likely that the four-time MVP, who is banged up, could be placed on injured reserve or possibly benched over the next few weeks, signaling the end of his disastrous time with the Jets.”
Ulbrich poured cold water on any talk of Rodgers being shut down saying there has been no discussion of that subject matter.
Ulbrich Discusses the Health Status of Rodgers
Throughout the season Rodgers has dealt with an array of ailments to his ankle, both knees, and his hamstring.
Coming out of the bye week, Ulbrich was asked if Rodgers is 100% healthy.
“You’d have to ask Aaron if he is fully healthy but he is better off today than he’s been as of late. So he’s definitely feeling healthier than he has for probably the last month. A healthy Aaron Rodgers is the Aaron Rodgers we all love. Excited about what that looks like,” Ulbrich said.
On Sunday, November 24, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport shared some stunning news about Rodgers avoiding medical examinations from the Jets.
“One source explained that Rodgers has resisted getting scans done, not wanting to reveal the severity of his injuries out of fear of having to come off the field. He has insisted that he keep playing,” Rapoport said.
“I have not been informed of that either way,” Ulbrich responded when asked about the report’s validity. “That is news to me.”
Back in 2008, the Jets started the season 8-3. However, the whole season collapsed when the team went 1-4 in the final five games. A big reason for that collapse was Brett Favre’s torn biceps, which he and the team hid from the injury report.
The Jets didn’t enjoy that initial dopamine rush of success with Rodgers like they did with Favre. Instead of an 8-3 start, the Jets sit at 3-8 with their playoff hopes on life support.
According to ESPN’s analytics via Rich Cimini, the Jets now have a 0.7% chance of making the playoffs.
Pride and a Chance Is What the Jets Are Playing for Over Next 6 Games
For all intents and purposes, the Jets 2024 season is over. While they have a blip of life according to the analytics, that would require winning out the final six games of the season.
Instead, the team is fighting for their dignity. We’ll see what that is worth in Week 13 at home versus the Seahawks.
For Rodgers, he is playing for a little bit more than that.
Through the first 11 games of the season, Rodgers has a 63.4% completion percentage, 17 touchdowns to 7 interceptions, and has thrown for 2,442 passing yards.
How Rodgers performs through the final stretch of the season could determine what direction his football career turns next.
If he closes out the season strong, he will leave the door ajar on his Jets future. A new regime is taking over and there’s no guarantee what their view will be of Rodgers. The better he plays, the better his chances are of returning.
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Jets Fire off 1-Word About Aaron Rodgers for Seahawks Game