(CBS Sports) New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ 2023 season may be over before it ever really got started. After the quarterback was injured on his fourth play of the year, head coach Robert Saleh told reporters following the Jets’ 22-16 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills that they fear the four-time NFL MVP tore his Achilles. There’s an MRI scheduled for Tuesday to confirm.
“It’s not good,” Saleh said, per CBS Sports Lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones.
The injury, if confirmed, would be season-ending. On the Jets’ first drive Monday night, Rodgers was injured and helped off the field by trainers. After a visit to the blue medical tent, he was carted to the locker room. After initially being labeled as questionable to return with an ankle injury, he was later downgraded to out. The Jets announced that his X-rays were negative.
Rodgers suffered the injury after being sacked by veteran pass rusher Leonard Floyd on a first-and-10 with 11:40 remaining in the first quarter. While it appeared at first that Rodgers was OK, he went back down to the turf while officials stopped play.
Check out what happened, here:
Aaron Rodgers was injured and helped off the field on the first Jets drive vs. the Bills. pic.twitter.com/vtKHRW566V
— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2023
Trainers attended to Rodgers before helping him off the field while former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson replaced Rodgers under center. Coach Saleh told reporters after the game that Wilson will be the guy moving forward.
