Aaron Rodgers defied medical wisdom and made a surprising return to the New York Jets, but this isn’t the first time.
The 39-year-old’s season appeared to be over when he ruptured his left Achilles tendon just four seconds into the season opener against the Buffalo Bills.
The four-time NFL MVP underwent surgery on Sept. 14, but an unprecedented rehabilitation effort saw him return to practice with the Jets this week, less than three months after the initial injury.
There have been multiple reports that Rodgers could return as soon as mid-December, with some pointing to a Christmas Eve game against the Commanders as a more likely date.
Either way, he will be the first player to return to the team in the same season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon.
This would be a major achievement for Rogers, who is often viewed as a polarizing figure by many due to his stance on COVID-19 vaccinations and his perceived conspiracy theorist tendencies (he recently spoke about a UFO encounter in the final episode of “Hard Knocks”).
The Super Bowl XLV MVP has also been known to adopt some esoteric and unconventional approaches to health and wellness over the years.
Rodgers revealed that he took part in a four-day, four-night “darkness retreat” to gain mental clarity as he pondered the decision to stay with the Green Bay Packers or join a new team this offseason.
“There will be four nights of complete darkness,” Rogers said on the Pat McAfee show in February.
“It’s a darkness retreat. I have some friends who have done it and it was a profound experience. It’s something that’s been on my radar for a few years now and I’ve had it scheduled for months because I felt like it would be amazing to do, regardless of how I feel after this season is over.”
He also said the experience centred around “sensory deprivation isolation” and could result in hallucinations.
This isn’t the first time Rogers has experienced a fantasy or figment of his imagination.
In August 2022, the quarterback claimed on the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that taking ayahuasca — a hallucinogen derived from a South American plant that is usually taken as a tea — helped him win back-to-back MVP awards in 2020 and 2021.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence. I really don’t think so. I’m not a big believer in coincidences at this point,” he said.
“The universe makes things happen when they’re supposed to happen. There are signs and synchronicities all around us all the time if we’re awake enough to see them, to accept them, and to listen to our intuition when it’s speaking to us or tapping us over the head and saying, ‘Hey, you’re supposed to do this.'”
It’s not uncommon for Rogers to go into seclusion and withdraw from society for long periods to recondition mentally and physically.
Last year, he shared details of a 12-day cleansing and healing method he recently practiced, called Panchakarma.
“I just finished a 12-day cleanse where I eat a certain diet and get these treatments every day,” Rogers said at the time.
“I don’t do anything else. I have to stop everything else. No exercise, no pushing myself. It’s a kind of mental cleansing, and I think it not only heals the body, but also relieves mental stress. And on the mental side, I think I can enjoy meditation a little more.”
Rogers said completing the panchakarma process, which is linked to Ayurveda, an ancient medical science rooted in India, left him filled with gratitude for those closest to him and those who helped him along his journey.
The 10-time Pro Bowler is someone who has never shied away from trying alternative medicines, diets and lifestyle choices.
The Jets quarterback, who is currently recovering from Achilles surgery, recently revealed that he finds the “soothing” effects of the mating sounds of dolphins in the ocean near his Malibu home.
“The idea is that the frequency of some of the sounds dolphins make when they’re making love actually has a therapeutic effect on the body,” Rogers says.
Rodgers is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, and his rapid recovery from Achilles surgery at nearly 40 years old is nothing short of remarkable.
While his unique methods may seem odd to most outsiders, it’s hard to argue with the results.
