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Aaron Rodgers broke his silence after sustaining a season ending injury in his first official game as quarterback for the New York Jets.
“Thank you to every person that has reached out, called, texted, DM’d, connected through a friend, etc. It has meant a ton to me, and I’ll try and get back to all of you soon 🥹❤️,” Rodgers, 39, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, September 13. “I’m completely heartbroken and moving through all of the emotions, but deeply touched and humbled by the support and love. 💔”
He continued: “Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I begin the healing process today. 🙏 ♾️ ❤️ . The night is darkest before the dawn. And I shall rise yet again. Proud of my guys, 1-0 🛩️.”
Rodgers was removed from the field after suffering an ankle injury on Monday, September 11, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, while his team played against the Buffalo Bills. It was later revealed that he had torn his Achilles.
While the Jets ultimately won the game 22-16, despite losing their quarterback, head coach Robert Saleh addressed the health issue as Rodgers received medical care. “[We’re] concerned with his Achilles. MRI’s probably going to confirm what we think is already going to happen with his Achilles, so prayers tonight. But, it’s not good,” he told reporters during a postgame news conference, per CNN.
As Rodgers’ football future was in question, both current and former NFL stars including Peyton Manning, JJ Watt and others expressed their concerns for the quarterback. Patrick Mahomes went viral for his reaction due to a pesky typo.
“Hate that man … Praying for the best,” Mahomes, 27, wrote via X (formerly known as Twitter), earning a series of confused comments. After realizing his mistake, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback quickly edited the post to read, “Hate that, man … Praying for the best.” He added in a follow-up tweet: “Knew I was going to need that edit button on here one of these days.”
In April, Rodgers was traded to the Jets from his former team the Green Bay Packers, whom he played for the first 18 seasons of his NFL career.
“I’m not sure it’s possible to fully express the gratitude that I have to the @packers , our incredible fans, the state of Wisconsin, the thousands of players that I crossed paths with, the incredible men and women who work for the organization, and the amazing people who I got to meet along the way, in one post with 10 pictures, but I hope you read this and feel my heart and soul, filled with love, joy, and peace about my time in green and gold. 💚💛,” he wrote via Instagram at the time. “I grew up in Green Bay, drafted at 21, fell in love with the game, met some lifelong friends, and take with me memories that will last a lifetime.”
Two months after being acquired by the Jets, Rodgers reportedly took a major pay cut. While his contract with the Packers had $110 million left for four years, NFL Network and ESPN claimed the athlete signed a restructured two-year contract with his new team. The new deal guaranteed him a $75 million paycheck for 2023 and 2024, which is $35 million less than his former deal.