Aaron Rodgers offers heartfelt message to Leonard Floyd ahead of emotional MNF game

Emotions will be running high when NY Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers takes the field for the first on Monday night in his team's season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.

It'll mark the first time that Rodgers has stepped foot on the field for a regular-season NFL game since his tragic Achilles tear suffered a year ago. The parallels between last year's game and this Monday's game are copious.

Rodgers will make his return on Monday Night Football in the Jets' season opener almost a year to the day of his injury in 2023. And he will do so against the very same player who sacked him on the play he was injured, Leonard Floyd.

Floyd, now playing for the 49ers, revealed this week that he received death threats from fans following the unfortunate incident last year. Rodgers did his best to put Floyd's mind at ease when speaking to reporters on Thursday, reminding the eight-year veteran that it wasn't his fault.

"[Leonard Floyd's] a great player. I hope he doesn't feel in any way responsible for that at all. He's a stand-up guy. I've worked out with him in the offseason."

- Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers reflects on last year's injury ahead of NY Jets vs. 49ers matchup

It's nice to see Rodgers offer an olive branch of support to a player he already had plenty of history with before his untimely injury last season. Floyd spent years trying to chase down Rodgers as a member of the Chicago Bears before signing with the Los Angeles Rams.

Rodgers told reporters that he's worked out with Floyd in the offseason in the past and that the two are friendly with one another. This was his way of making sure Floyd knew there were no hard feelings.

That doesn't mean Monday night won't be emotional for the four-time MVP. Rodgers hasn't completed a pass in the regular season in almost two years. He hasn't taken a hit in any football capacity since the time of his Achilles injury.

Monday night will be a culmination of months of emotional rehab Rodgers put his body through — something that's no easy task, especially at 40 years old.

For a quarterback known for his competitiveness and will to win, being sidelined for nearly an entire season was undoubtedly frustrating. Monday night will mark not just a comeback for Rodgers, but a testament to his perseverance and mental toughness to return to the gridiron and prove his doubters wrong.

While there’s no ill will between the two players, the encounter serves as a reminder of a moment that could very well have ended Rodgers’ Hall of Fame career. But instead of dwelling on the past, Rodgers has chosen to move forward with grace.

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