NFL Rumors: Aaron Rodgers Has A Chance To Return Before Season’s End

Hey Green Bay Packers fans: Don’t declare this a lost season just yet.

Doctors told the Packers that Aaron Rodgers can resume throwing in six weeks, meaning there’s at least some chance the star quarterback can return this season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday, citing league sources.

Rodgers underwent surgery Tuesday for a broken right collarbone he suffered in Green Bay’s Week 6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and the team initially announced there’s a “chance” he could miss the rest of the season. But if the 4-2 Packers manage to stay in playoff contention with backup Brett Hundley under center, Rodgers could make a late-season comeback similar to 2013, in which he rejoined the team in Week 17 after a seven-week rehab from a broken left collarbone.

Rodgers was placed on injured reserve this week and wouldn’t be eligible to return until Week 15 at the earliest.

Before Packers fans and fantasy owners get too excited: NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport offered a contradictory report Sunday morning, citing sources who said Green Bay isn’t expecting Rodgers back this season. Rapoport noted the Packers have two offensive linemen on injured reserve they’d like to bring back — Jason Spriggs and Don Barclay — and teams only can designate two players to return from IR.

Rodgers obviously is more important than Spriggs and Barclay, though, and if Green Bay is battling for playoff positioning in the final weeks, you’d have to think it’d bring back the two-time NFL MVP if he’s capable.