Everyone seems to have an opinion on Aaron Rodgers’s potential comeback from his Achilles injury, and the hosts of ESPN’s First Take are no exception.
On Friday, Stephen A. Smith gave his fiery two cents on the Rodgers situation and dragged the Jets quarterback for wanting to play football so soon after tearing his Achilles in Week 1 against the Bills. Rodgers, who turns 40 on Saturday, participated in practice for the first time since his injury on Wednesday, just 11 weeks after undergoing surgery.
His rapid recovery has been nothing short of miraculous, yet some around the league are wondering whether it’s prudent to send Rodgers back out on the field with the risk of re-injury.
Smith called Rodgers’ possible comeback “stupid” and said, “The New York Jets lost four straight. They’re 4—7. We’re playing for nothing. What are we doing? Take your a– home. Go on The Pat McAfee Show every Tuesday. Kick your feet up. Relax… You make one wrong move, it’s your Achilles, and something else could happen to you, and for what? What purpose does it serve? It’s a stupid thing to do. Sit your a– home.”
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky then suggested that Rodgers might want to step onto the field this season to “check the box”, alluding to the fact that the Packers legend would be making history if he returns in 2023. Currently, the player with the quickest recovery turnaround for an Achilles tear is Cam Akers, who came back in less than six months.
Smith, however, vehemently disagreed with Orlovksy’s comment and believed Rodgers had nothing left to prove.
“What box? He’s a Super Bowl champion, he’s a sure-fire future Hall of Famer, he’s one of the greatest quarterbacks to have ever lived. Really? … Talk about [playing] football for this team. For this team?”
The Jets are sitting in third place in the AFC East. Their next matchup is against the Falcons at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
