New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has admitted that no decision has been made on whether superstar Aaron Rodgers will play in the team's final preseason game before the new NFL season begins.
The veteran quarterback's first campaign at MetLife Stadium was curtailed by injury after he ruptured his Achilles tendon just four offensive snaps into his debut in Week 1. After arriving from the Green Bay Packers to major fanfare, the 40-year-old set his sights on a rapid recovery Jets' failure to make the playoffs ended his hopes of a stunning return.
However, Rodgers is still yet to make his much-anticipated comeback on the field during preseason, with the player not playing a single snap in two exhibition games so far. Following on from wins in his absence versus the Washington Commanders and the Carolina Panthers , the prospect of him appearing in the pre-season against the New York Giants remains a moot point.
Speaking in a press conference looking forward to the exhibition clash with their city rivals on Aug. 24, Jets head coach Saleh refused to give much away on the subject of Rodgers. Addressing whether he has made a decision on whether the QB will make his return in the game, she said: "I haven't. Not yet. We'll talk about it later."
The lack of a concrete decision either way on the prospect was in line with the previous comment from Saleh , as he said: "[Aaron's] going to be included in the conversations along with the coordinators and [general manager Joe Douglas], and we're going to make the best decision for the team."
Likewise, he also commented earlier in preseason: "We haven't really talked about it. My instinct right now as I stand here is we'll see. ... My instinct is no, but I want to leave it open. That third game is the one where we're deciding. He definitely won't play in the first two, but the discussion on the third one we haven't quite had yet."
"Those preseason practices are so game-like," he continued, as he made a wider point about the importance of the team's preparations for the new NFL season. "The only difference is you're not tackling. And so we feel comfortable that we're getting the reps we need, the game-like reps we need in a controlled environment."
Addressing the prospect of appearing in the game versus the Giants , Rodgers said to CBS New York : "You never know. I'm not sure. I mean, I feel like Saleh already ruled me out a few weeks ago, but if I beg him, maybe I'll get to be out there."
Meanwhile, it appears that the four-time NFL MVP is keeping an open mind on whether he will appear, telling the WFAN's Morning Show : "I don’t think I need to [play preseason]. As long as I’m making the right reactions in practice…that’s important. There’s maybe a little change in speed and mindset because you can get hit, but preseason is not real football. It’s different."
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