Aaron Rodgers is believed to have every intention to return to playing after sustaining a torn Achilles during his debut for the New York Jets on Monday. However, it might not be up to him as studies suggest his career could be over.
The 39-year-old is set to miss the rest of the season following a sack from Buffalo Bills DE Leonard Floyd that resulted in him getting ruled out of the MNF clash. An MRI confirmed the worst on Tuesday morning.
A few years ago, a team of orthopedic experts reviewed 15 studies that delved into the long-term impact of a torn Achilles specifically where athletes are concerned. It determined that only 24 percent of them were able to continue with their careers after experiencing damage to the tendon.
A paper written by researchers at Brown and Ohio State and published by the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine in 2019 noted that 61 percent of NFL players were able to return within 11 months while 64 percent returned in 18 months.
The paper also revealed that 15 percent of the players who did return suffered a second Achilles tear at some point.
A worrying prospect but, on the bright side, there was nothing to suggest that age had any part to play in recovery when it comes to such injuries, though the study recommended a two-year recovery period for anyone looking to return to the shape they were in before the injury.
