Aaron Rodgers appears to have superhuman recovery powers.
Ahead of the Jets’ Week 6 victory over the Eagles, Aaron Rodgers was spotted walking without crutches and throwing pregame passes. This development serves as the strongest indicator yet that the quarterback is making a remarkable recovery from his Achilles tear. CBS Sports HQ’s injury expert, Marty Jaramillo, believes that Rodgers is not just on track to return this season but is advancing at an extraordinary pace.
“He’s moving almost three times as fast as traditional protocols,” Jaramillo told CBSSports.com Monday. “No boot, no crutches, minimal limp. It’s quite exponential. There is no precedent for this type of recovery following an Achilles tear. He is beating back Father Time.”
Jaramillo, in particular, estimates that Rodgers could be fully ready to play within 12-14 weeks after surgery, potentially making his comeback as early as Week 15 when the Jets face the Dolphins on December 17. Is this wild? Jaramillo acknowledges his own skepticism but is willing to be proven wrong, given Rodgers’ current rehab progress. He explained, “At this pace, by Month 3 or 4—or shall we say ‘Rodgers pace’—he would be at the equivalent of Month 9 or 10 in a traditional healing process.”
Aaron Rodgers suffered an Achilles tear just four snaps into his eagerly anticipated debut with the Jets on September 11 and underwent surgery two days later.
Even a four-month recovery timeline, which is still groundbreaking, would put his return in mid-January, during the first round of the 2023 playoffs, provided the Jets (3-3) make it to the postseason.
How is Rodgers achieving such rapid progress? Jaramillo attributes it primarily to the “speed bridge” technique employed to expedite recovery, allowing for early weight-bearing. This is a relatively recent procedure, performed by few surgeons, and Rodgers’ surgeon, Dr. Neil ElAttrache, who is closely affiliated with Jaramillo, is a pioneer in sports medicine. Dr. ElAttrache famously repaired Tom Brady’s torn ACL in 2008, and Brady went on to feature in five more Super Bowls before retiring at the age of 45.
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Jaramillo’s reservations about Rodgers’ unprecedented recovery are based on historical comparisons. He points out that several decades ago, there was a strong push for accelerated ACL rehabilitation, but the long-term outcomes were rather disappointing, with many ACL failures and graft stretching. Today, the medical community has returned to a more conservative approach, with standard recovery timelines ranging from nine to twelve months. Nevertheless, Jaramillo is confident that Rodgers’ team is ensuring a safe process.
Regarding Rodgers himself, the quarterback has consistently expressed his openness to returning to the field this season, despite Achilles tears usually necessitating nine to twelve months of rehabilitation.
“It’s pretty obvious I’m well ahead of the normal protocols when it comes to rehab for this kind of thing, but that was always what my mindset was,” he previously told “The Pat McAfee Show.” “[We’re] being as smart as possible, not trying to stretch the Achilles but stretch the Achilles in a way that allows me to start doing movement quicker and to speed up whatever timeline has kind of been the standard for this type of injury.”
The most recent example of a swift Achilles recovery was seen in 2021 when former Rams running back Cam Akers was activated just five months after surgery for an injury he suffered that July.
The most prudent course for Rodgers is to refrain from rushing his return to the field. Given his age, it’s likely best to allow the natural healing process to unfold.
