Aaron Rodgers throwing just weeks after Achilles injury gives NY Jets fans hope

The optimism surrounding the NY Jets' 2023 season was sucked out of the building after just four plays, as an Achilles injury suffered by superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers put not only his Jets career in peril, but his overall NFL future due to the severity of the injury.

Rodgers was immediately ruled out for the remainder of the season, putting everything back on the very narrow shoulder of Zach Wilson. This injury is a difficult loss for the Jets, no matter how anyone tries to spin it.

To Rodgers' credit, he has maintained a positive attitude about this whole injury. He wants to come back as soon as possible despite the challenges associated with overcoming this injury at any age, let alone 39 years old. In a surprising twist of fate, Rodgers is back out on the MetLife turf tossing it around.

Rodgers was spotted on the sidelines ahead of New York's game against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles getting some throws in just five weeks removed from surgery. While he won't suit up after the bye week, the fact he's progressed to this point has to be what Jets fans wanted to see this early in the recovery.

NY Jets' Aaron Rodgers throwing weeks after Achilles surgery.

Rodgers is banking on a procedure called a "speed bridge" to be the magic elixir that gets him back on the field as soon as possible. A return in 2023 is unlikely, thanks to how serious of a procedure an Achilles reconstruction is, but Rodgers has overcome long odds before.

Rodgers will have all sorts of unique, borderline unprecedented hurdles to overcome. A quarterback turning 40 in December tearing his Achilles is unprecedented enough. Getting hurt like that at an elite level that pushes a roster to the Super Bowl is something straight out of Hollywood.

While Rodgers won't be on the field anytime soon, the Jets and their fans have to like seeing him in the building and chucking it around. After beating the Bills and narrowly losing to the mighty Chiefs with him in the building, will his presence bring more pixie dust against Philadelphia?