Jets' Saleh - If Aaron Rodgers says he wants to play, he'll play - ESPN

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — If quarterback Aaron Rodgers wants to play again this season, he will play again. The New York Jets won't stand in his way if he receives medical clearance, according to coach Robert Saleh.

«Aaron's a big boy, a grown man, and no one's going to know Aaron's body like Aaron knows his body,» Saleh said Wednesday. «And if he feels after all the doctors clear him — I'm sure there's a million of them, I have no idea — but if Aaron says he wants to play, he's going to play.»

Saleh's comment came one day after Rodgers, attempting to pull off an unprecedented return from a ruptured Achilles, reiterated his desire to play. He's targeting mid-December, which would be about three months removed from surgery.

«We've got to be in the mix, and I've got to be healthy, and I definitely still want to come back,» Rodgers said Tuesday on «The Pat McAfee Show.»

Rodgers' desire to play, which he stated immediately after his Sept. 13 surgery, was once thought to be far-fetched. But it soon could be a reality for the Jets (4-5) if they can remain in playoff contention. They've lost two in a row and face the Buffalo Bills (5-5) and Miami Dolphins (6-3) in a span of six days.

It's a risk-reward decision, based on the nature of the injury, Rodgers' age (he turns 40 on Dec. 2) and the team's place in the standings. Saleh acknowledged those factors, but said the final call belongs to the four-time NFL MVP. No NFL player has returned to play in less than five months from Achilles surgery. Former Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers came back in 5½ months in 2021.

Saleh said the prospect of Rodgers' return doesn't add any pressure to win.

«The pressure to keep the season afloat is just to keep it afloat,» he said. «The