Aaron Rodgers on Tuesday for the first time tapped the brakes on his highly anticipated comeback to the field with the Jets officially eliminated from the playoffs.

Rodgers, speaking on his weekly appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” didn’t come out and say he won’t play again this season after rupturing his left Achilles four plays into the season.

But the way he spoke made it clear he’s resigned to not playing again until next season in that he spoke in the past tense.

Speaking of next season, Rodgers made it clear 2024 isn’t in his plans to be his final season, vowing to play at least two more years in green.

Rodgers, too, spoke with conviction about how bullish he is on the Jets leadership, beginning with general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh and including his close friend, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

This all despite the Jets disappointing 5-9 record entering Sunday’s home game against Washington.

A deadline looms on Wednesday for the Jets to activate Rodgers from the injured list, and curiously no one from McAfee’s show asked Rodgers if he expected to be activated.

“The whole time it’s been hoping that we’re still in it,’’ Rodgers said, referring to his intention to return if the Jets had a chance to qualify for the playoffs. “It was unrealistic to think that I would be 100 percent medically cleared at any point during the regular season. I do feel like in the next three to four weeks, it would be very possible to get to 100 percent. It was never a question whether I should play if I was 100 percent.

“Today, I’d definitely push to play [if the team was in contention]. I’ve been working hard to get closer to that. [Wednesday] is 14 weeks from my surgery.’’

Rodgers said his goal since the injury was to be on the field this Sunday against the Commanders.

“I always circled the 24th [of December] in my head from the day I got hurt [to come back],’’ he said. “The week of the Washington game is what I focused on and if I felt good, there at least would be a conversation about that. We’re in the hypothetical world, [but] it was, if we win [last] Sunday, then I need to go through a week of 11-on-11 practice taking team reps and then it’s how I respond to that and how much I could move in the pocket.

“Being a competitor, I would have pushed as hard as I could this week, but there’s still would have been a conversation I would have had between Woody [Johnson, the team owner], and Joe and Robert and the medical staff to determine whether or not they were ultimately clear.’’

When asked if he thinks 2024 might be his last season, Rodgers said absolutely not.

“I don’t think that next year will be my last year,’’ Rodgers said. “I felt like when I came here that I got kind of a renewed passion and love for the game. I felt like I wanted to play [with the Jets] at least two years and I feel like this year is kind of a lost year now that I only played a couple of snaps. I wasn’t able to go out there and prove what I’m capable of and see what we’re capable of as a team. …

“I feel like I can play more years and I can be effective in my 40s, which is crazy because I thought that I’d probably be sitting on a couch somewhere at 40. But now I want to be starter at 40, I want to be a starter at 41. I want to see what I get out of this body.’’

Asked about 2024 and the futures of Douglas, Saleh and all, Rodgers said, “I believe in Joe Douglas. I think he’s put together a lot of great drafts and a great roster. We obviously had a number of difficult injuries this season.

“I believe in Robert Saleh. He’s about the right stuff. I think he emphasizes the right things. I believe in Nate Hackett and I always have. I think the offense that he runs is quarterback friendly. Obviously, it was geared around me and my abilities and what I do well, and my ability to get to the line of scrimmage and get us some good plays and to survive bad plays.

“I believe in the leadership that we have here and in our guys. I think it’s not a situation where we have to rebuild. We need to reload a little bit and it’ll be some tough decisions for sure. But I like the pieces that we have in place. I like our young players. We’ve got a lot a lot of great young players who are stepping in more leadership role in their second and third years.’’

Rodgers went on about a number of players on the roster, particularly on defense, and painted a bright picture for 2024.

“The night is darkest before the dawn,’’ he said, “and we’re going to rise again.’’