Aaron Rodgers has familiar request for Jets: 'Stay relaxed'

Aaron Rodgers faced an uncertain playing future a year ago as he limped off the field with what turned out to be a torn Achilles tendon.

On the one-year anniversary of his season-ending injury, the 40-year-old New York Jets quarterback is healthy and a game into his comeback. And his focus Wednesday was solely on preparing to play the Tennessee Titans — and not reflecting on all the disappointment and doubts from a year ago.

"I had forgotten about it, actually, until I got a text this morning early about it," Rodgers said, declining to reveal who sent him the message.

After all, he has talked plenty over the past 12 months about going down on the fourth snap of his debut with the Jets against the Buffalo Bills in the season opener on Sept. 11, 2023. The injury briefly left Rodgers wondering if that would be the last play of his career.

But he approached his recovery and rehabilitation as anyone who knows the four-time NFL MVP would expect: with fierce determination to pull off another victory.

Now, Rodgers is officially back. And he's got wins — on the field — on his mind.

"Yeah, we go into the Groundhog Day mindset being a Wednesday and we're on to the next opponent," Rodgers said. "But, yeah, like I said before the game last week, there was a lot of emotion, a lot of perspective and gratitude. A lot's changed in a year and I'm glad to still be playing and feel healthy."

Rodgers was 13 of 21 for 167 yards with a touchdown and one interception that came on a deflected pass in the Jets' season-opening loss 32-19 to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. He came out of it feeling fine physically, but determined to play better this week against the Tennessee Titans.

"I feel good about what I did out there, for the most