Aaron Rodgers is feeling healthy and will be the New York Jets' starting quarterback as long as that remains the case.
Whether he's in the huddle beyond this season is still to be decided — by the Jets and Rodgers.
“Football life is interesting because there’s no guarantees,” Rodgers said Wednesday. "Even with injuries, obviously, with contract situations, with age, with coaching changes, new scheme possibly, new system. There’s a lot of unknowns, so that stuff is out of my control.
“I’m just going to enjoy these times here and let the future take care of itself.”
Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Rodgers returned from the team's bye-week break appearing physically refreshed and ready to go. The quarterback was not on the Jets' injury report Wednesday for the first time since Week 4.
“Definitely, as long as he’s healthy, my plan is to play him,” Ulbrich said. “And I know talking to him, that’s the way he wants to do it, too.”
Rodgers, who turns 41 on Monday, has dealt with various injuries to his left leg, including a sore knee, sprained ankle and balky hamstring. And that’s after coming off a torn Achilles tendon in the same leg that limited him to just four snaps last season.
“He’s doing better today than he has for quite a while now,” Ulbrich said. “After my conversations with him the last five or six weeks, he has felt healthier today than he’s felt in that time span.”
That echoes what Rodgers said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, when he said he “feels good.” Rodgers said he's still contemplating whether he wants to play football next season, but would prefer it be with the Jets if he does return.
He reiterated that Wednesday after practice and explained why his tone has changed a bit from a few weeks ago when he said “I think so, yeah,” when he was asked if he planned to play next year.
“If you look at what transpired in those two weeks, Joe (Douglas) got axed,” Rodgers said, referring to the Jets' former general manager who was fired last week. "Joe brought me in here. There’s uncertainty with, you know, everybody on the staff, so I’m not naive to what the situation is. And if a new GM comes in and they don’t retain Brick, I have to fit in those plans, so that’s kind of the first part.
“Like I said, on ”The Pat McAfee Show," this is my first option. I’d love to play here if I end up deciding to play. But there’s got to be a want for them to want to bring me back, and for me to want to play. But ‘I think so’ was the truth, and ‘I’m not 100% sure’ is also the truth today."
Rodgers, who is having a subpar season statistically, has been noticeably affected by his leg ailments — and that's something that could be much improved starting Sunday against Seattle.
“I’m super excited about getting him going, whether it’s the keepers, the boots, a little bit more quarterback movement,” Ulbrich said. “Taking advantage of the stuff that he’s done at a Hall of Fame level his entire career. So, excited to see a healthier version of Aaron out there.”
There was some speculation that the Jets, who are 3-8 and close to falling mathematically out of the playoff hunt, could opt to sit Rodgers in favor of Tyrod Taylor with his playing future uncertain.
“He is a very prideful person,” Ulbrich said. “He wants to finish this thing off right. He wants to celebrate this team that we have and have a good taste in our mouths as we leave this season.”
Rodgers has been very complimentary of Ulbrich as a leader, saying he's “definitely all-in” on the interim coach and would like to see him get the full-time job for next season.
“Again, that’s out of my control,” Rodgers said. "I mean, I’m not going to say Brick or nothing. I need to see how I’m feeling. Obviously, I would love to play for Brick again. He’s a fantastic human being, but there’s a lot of things that can change in the next six weeks.
“There could be some really good feelings coming out of this or there could be wholesale changes — and I might be a part of that.”
Those changes could include two coaches Rodgers is closest with in offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and passing game coordinator Todd Downing.
“Them not being here would not be a deal breaker for me,” Rodgers said, “although I obviously love them.”
Owner Woody Johnson is using The 33rd Team, with former GMs Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman leading the project, to identify and analyze candidates for the Jets' coach and GM searches. Rodgers is unsure if Johnson will seek his input on those decisions.
“I’m always available if my opinion is wanted, but I’m going to focus on playing right now,” Rodgers said. “If I get drawn in those conversations, fantastic. If I don’t, that’s fantastic, too.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Dennis Waszak Jr., The Associated Press
