Aaron Rodgers’ ‘Hope Meter Trending Upward’ As He Eyes Potential Return

Aaron Rodgers isn’t ready yet to call the torn Achilles he suffered just four snaps into his first game as a New York Jet a season-ending injury.

It seems highly unlikely that Rodgers plays again this season given the nature of the injury, but the veteran quarterback reportedly is targeting a playoff return — that’s if the Jets even get there.

But just over a week after underdoing an “innovative” surgery, Rodgers feels like he’s headed in the right direction when it comes to his recovery, giving him belief that he can defy the odds.

“It’s not easy, but there’s been some progressions with the rehab the last couple of days, so that kind of gets the hope meter kind of trending upward a little bit,” Rodgers said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday, as transcribed by ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “The joy meter trending up a little bit.”

Rodgers, who turns 40 in December, currently is in a walking boot, something he’s itching to get out of so he can ramp up the rehabilitation process. The four-time NFL MVP looks to stay connected to the Jets while he’s rehabbing as New York head coach Robert Saleh told reporters he thinks Rodgers could be back at the team’s facility next week.

“Trying to get out of the boot is kind of the next goal so I feel the strength to be able to stand up on my own,” Rodgers said. “Then the boot comes off, and then it kind of gets exciting. I think then you feel like you’re not just a big turd laying around, everybody taking care of you. So that’ll be nice.”

Rodgers wasn’t as outspoken about his potential return this time around after looking last week to prove prognosticators wrong about how fast he can recover from the injury.

It’s obviously unclear if Rodgers will indeed make a triumphant comeback this season. But if one thing is for certain, Rodgers lying on the turf at MetLife Stadium won’t be the final time he is seen on a football field.

“I don’t want to get caught into a timeline,” Rodgers said. “I just want to get healthy, honestly, mentally and physically, honestly. But I’m going to do everything I can rehab-wise to put myself in a position to be ready to play football again at some point. And that’s the goal.

“I mean, obviously, when this happened, there’s a lot of thoughts about, ‘That’s it, cash it in, you’re done.’ I just don’t feel like I am, so I’m going to put myself in position to be able to play again.”