NY Jets officially activate Aaron Rodgers to their 53-man roster

Aaron Rodgers is back...or is he?

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Aaron Rodgers / Brandon Sloter/GettyImages

NY Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Wednesday that quarterback Aaron Rodgers had been activated from the injured reserve. Rodgers is back on the Jets' 53-man roster.

This comes just one day after Rodgers insisted he likely would not play again this season following his team's 30-0 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 15. And even though he's back on the active roster, that remains the case.

Saleh reiterated to reporters that Rodgers will not play another game this season. His being activated to the 53-man roster does not change anything.

It does, however, allow Rodgers to continue practicing with his teammates as part of his rehab process. Saleh insisted that Rodgers' presence on the practice field alone is a boost for his teammates and the team as a whole.

So yes, Aaron Rodgers is back. But he's not back.

Aaron Rodgers is back on the NY Jets' roster

Rodgers mentioned on The Pat McAfee Show yesterday that he was still 3-4 weeks away from feeling 100 percent. That said, if the Jets were still alive in the AFC playoff race, the four-time MVP fully planned to return and play at less than 100 percent this season.

Unfortunately, that isn't the reality for this Jets team. The Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention following their dreadful loss to the Dolphins this past Sunday. This makes it 13 straight seasons without a playoff appearance for the organization.

The hope is that Rodgers can help the Jets break that unenviable streak in 2024, and his return to practice has allowed him to continue working toward that goal.

The Jets value having Rodgers in the building. Rodgers has been enjoying practicing with his teammates, and activating him to the 53-man roster allows him to continue making steady progress in his rehab alongside his fellow Jets players. And as Saleh said, the team has the roster flexibility.

Rodgers is once again a member of the Jets' 53-man roster. But as far as playing a game is concerned, we'll have to wait until next year for that.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.