Aaron Rodgers says he's starting 'road to recovery' after Achilles surgery went 'great'
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said that Wednesday's surgery to repair his Achilles tendon went "great."
Rodgers shared the health update on his Instagram account Thursday, just days after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in the Jets' season-opening win over the Buffalo Bills on "Monday Night Football." His update was accompanied by a photo of himself smiling in a hospital bed while dressed in a hospital gown.
"Thanks to the (GOAT) Dr. (Neal) ElAttrache and his staff for starting me on the road to recovery," Rodgers wrote.
It marks the second statement Rodgers has released since going down four plays into his Jets debut on "Monday Night Football." The four-time MVP said he was "completely heartbroken" by his injury, but hinted that he would be back on a football field in the future, writing, "The night is darkest before the dawn. And I shall rise yet again."
"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 added on Instagram Wednesday. "I’m completely heartbroken and moving through all of the emotions, but deeply touched and humbled by the support and love. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I begin the healing process today."
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Backup Zach Wilson took over as starting quarterback for the Jets. Wilson, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, was 5-4 as a starting quarterback last season, though his numbers were among the worst in the NFL. Head coach Robert Saleh, however, said he has confidence in Wilson.
"From a mental standpoint, he's so much different than this time a year ago," Saleh said Tuesday. "He's in a great frame of mind, he's loving the game of football, he's loving the process that he's going through. He's got a lot of confidence. All the little things that we saw in college that he was struggling with a year ago are not the same struggles that he had. He's fixed a lot of things, a lot of things. And so we're very excited about him."