Aaron Rodgers: Enigmafocuses on several aspects of the documentary’s titular NFL quarterback, including his season-ending Achilles injury in 2023 and the recovery process that followed. Injuries are an unfortunate part of competitive sports, especially contact sports like football.NFL players are continually putting their bodies on the line to bring home victoriesfor their fans and teammates. Although some positions are traditionally more physical than others and therefore tend to carry more risk, every player who steps foot on the field is risking getting hurt in the process - and that includes Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers was drafted in the first round by the Green Bay Packers in 2005. He sat behind NFL veteran and Packers legend Brett Favre for three years before finally being awarded the starting job when Favre left for the New York Jets. History repeated itself 18 years later when Rodgers also went on to become a Jet in 2023. Unfortunately,Rodgers' arrival in New York wasn’t the celebration it perhaps could have been. There is more about this in the docuseries, as well as plenty of shocking reveals inAaron Rodgers: Enigma.
Aaron Rodgers Tore His Achilles Getting Tackled In His Very First Regular Season Game With The Jets In September 2023
Leonard Floyd’s tackle caused Rodgers' injury
Rumors of Rodgers' disquiet with the Packers began when quarterback Jordan Love was drafted in the first round of the 2020 draft. A quarterback being drafted so high can often mean they’re intended to eventually become the starter, which hinted that head coach Matt LaFleur was planning for a future without Rodgers. However, Rodgers continued as the starter for another two seasons before being traded to the Jets at 39 years old, handing the keys to the Packers' quarterback room to his successor. Unfortunately,Rodgers suffered a season-ending injury at the beginning of the 2023 NFL regular season.
Former starter Zach Wilson returned to the lineup and guided the Jets to a 22-16 overtime victory.
After an electric atmosphere at MetLife Stadium that accompanied Rodgers' Jets debut, the legendary quarterback was tackled by Buffalo Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd on just his fourth snap of the season.The fairly innocuous-looking takedown initially allowed Rodgers to get back to his feet, but it quickly became clear he was hurt as he voluntarily returned to the ground and ended up being done for the night. Former starter Zach Wilson returned to the lineup and guided the Jets to a 22-16 overtime victory. An MRI scan the next day revealed Rodgers had torn his Achilles tendon.
Aaron Rodgers' Injury Kept Him From Playing Again Throughout The Entire 2023 Season
The quarterback’s rehab is documented in Aaron Rodgers: Enigma
Unsurprisingly, Rodgers' torn Achilles tendon meant he missed the rest of the 2023 season. Injuries like Rodgers' require a great deal of time to recover from, especially for professional athletes, and even more so for those who play contact sports. Therefore,the Jets' excitement at snagging such a high-profile quarterback was immediately put on hold. There was some speculation that Rodgers could have come back for the playoffs in January if the Jets qualified for the post-season, but the team’s 7-10 record made such a consideration inert. Meanwhile, Jordan Love led the Packers to the playoffs with a 9-8 record.
What the New York Jets received in the Rodgers trade
What the Green Bay Packers received in the Rodgers trade
Rodgers' absence from the starting lineup was apparent. The 2023 Jets had been set up for a pass-heavy attack to accommodate their new quarterback, and while backup Zach Wilson performed admirably, he wasn’t quite of the same caliber as what the Jets had prepared for. Then again, the team’s offensive line came under fire in the same season. The unit failed to protect Wilson as he tried to lead the team to the playoffs. So, it’s possible Rodgers would have experienced similar struggles had he not been hurt.
Aaron Rodgers' Recovery Process For His Achilles Injury Explained
Rodgers tried to achieve the impossible and return to the field in 2023
Rodgers' age and the severity of his injury meant there was a real possibility he’d be forced to retire. Rehabilitation from a torn Achilles tendon can often take up to a year before a player is cleared to compete again, as mentioned inAaron Rodgers: Enigma. However, Rodgers can be seen and heard in the docuseries defying the views and advice of his trainers and doctors as he fights to make it back far sooner than that.Enigmashows the healing process of the tendon itself being monitored, which is helped along by Rodgers' training to varying degrees of intensity.
19 days after his injury, Rodgers was back and walking around the Jets' facility - at times, without crutches. Of course, he was still a long way off playing again, but he was often physically present during training sessions on the sidelines. By his own admission inEnigma, he was understandably given very little to do during this time. As the months passed,whispers of an Aaron Rodgers comeback later that same season started to circulate, which would have been unprecedented given his injury. However, the Jets were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs before he had to make that decision.
When Aaron Rodgers Finally Returned To Playing Football & How His Achilles Injury Influenced His Next Season
Rodgers was controversially absent from the Jets' mandatory mini-camp in June 2024, which was the season he was set to play again after his rehab. Instead, he took a vacation to Egypt, and his absence was not excused by the team. Regardless, he still came back and prepared to start at quarterback for the Jets. Although he didn’t play at all in the 2024 preseason games, Rodgers started in week 1 of the regular season.
It must have been a bitter disappointment to see Rodgers fail to secure a victory on his first time out in 2024.
His first game back was a loss in San Francisco against the 49ers on September 10, almost one year exactly after Rodgers was hurt. Because Jets fans had waited so long to see their new quarterback in action, it must have been a bitter disappointment to see Rodgers fail to secure a victory on his first time out in 2024. Thankfully, he gave the green side of New York something to cheer about in the weeks to come.
How Many Super Bowls Aaron Rodgers Has Won
NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers is set for the Hall of Fame when he chooses to retire, but his history with the playoffs is a big part of his legacy.
Rodgers helped the Jets bounce back and guided the team to two successive victoriesagainst the Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots. After that, the team went on to have an incredibly inconsistent season, with Rodgers showing flashes of what he did at Green Bay. His healed foot didn’t seem to be causing him too much trouble, but the Jets had already played themselves out of playoff contention before the regular season was over.Aaron Rodgers: Enigmaonly addresses the earliest stages of the 2024 season, so most of this isn’t shown.
Aaron Rodgers: Enigma
Cast
Aaron Rodgers: Enigmaoffers an intimate look at the NFL quarterback’s journey, focusing on his recovery from a season-ending Achilles injury and the personal challenges stemming from his controversial views.
