Few injuries leave the type of lasting impact on a professional athlete that a torn Achilles tendon does, with months of arduous rehab usually setting players back for solid stretches of time.
That’s precisely the outcome New York Jets veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is hoping to avoid this year, after the four-time NFL MVP tore that ligament in his left leg during the season opener against Buffalo. Rodgers told Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers to “give me a few weeks” when James asked about Rodgers possible return after the Jets loss to L.A. on Monday night, leading many to wonder if Rodgers could make an improbable return this season.
The Jets playoff chances definitely could have used a healthy Rodgers. New York was -130 to make the postseason before the injury and now sits at +300. After the latest news surrounding Rodgers, EmpireStakes.com developed odds of when he might return.
Aaron Rodgers Return Odds
Return for Rodgers This Season Unlikely
Right now, it’s still highly unlikely Rodgers will suit up again for the Jets this season, which is why we give him the best odds (-1500) of playing again in 2024.
The average recovery timeline for an Achilles tear is 9-12 months for athletes, according to the Ohio State College of Medicine, which would place Rodgers’ return sometime in the middle of 2024. With the Jets sitting at 4-4 and a game behind Miami in the AFC East under backup Zach Wilson, it seems like there’s no reason to risk Rodgers’ long-term health to rush him back.
That’s why we give the former Green Bay Packer exceptionally long odds (+50000) of playing in Weeks 13-15 and +1500 to return in the final three weeks of the regular season. For now, Wilson and the Jets are looking to get back on track in Las Vegas against a 4-5 Raiders team. Oddsmakers from ESPN BET — there will not be a ESPN BET New York when the sportsbook launches later this month — have the Jets as a 1.5-point favorite.
