Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett pushed back against a report that found fault with the play call that resulted in Aaron Rodgers’ ruptured left Achilles tendon on Monday night.
The Athletic reported that Rodgers didn’t like plays that involved cut-blocks because it limited his ability to extend a play and forced him to get rid of the ball quickly and had expressed that sentiment to Jets coaches.
On the play, left tackle Duane Brown tried to cut Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd but whiffed, and Rodgers suffered the injury while trying to elude him.
The play called for Rodgers to get rid of the ball quickly, which he didn’t.
Garrett Wilson did appear to be open.
Aaron Rodgers had been over the play call with coaches before it went awry. Getty Images
“With Aaron, every play that we have in the game plan, and every single thing that we do — with any quarterback that’s in there — we discuss to the finest detail,” Hackett said. “That was something that we all knew [we were going to call] and we wanted to do, and it was a very unfortunate incident.”
Rodgers has yet to set a date for surgery.
He posted a photo on Instagram on Wednesday in which he hinted at returning to play next season at the age of 40.
Recovery time after surgery is typically nine to 12 months.
Hackett, his close friend, expects to be coaching him again next fall.
“Oh yeah,” Hackett said. “Whenever Aaron’s got his mind set on something, good luck for anybody who wants to change his mind.”
Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett expects Aaron Rodgers to be back next season. Bill Kostroun/New York PostBefore his media session with reporters began, Quinnen Williams took it upon himself to address Rodgers, his injury and what he has meant to the Jets.
“It hurts the locker room, it hurts the NFL, the culture, the situation with Aaron, what happened,” the defensive lineman said. “He’s an amazing teammate, amazing quarterback, amazing person, and he worked so hard this offseason and to see this happen, man, it hurts the culture and the organization. I think he instilled a lot of stuff, his time being here with us, [to keep] our heads up, keep moving, keep working, man.
“He will definitely want us to continue to be who we are, continue to chase the goals that we all set together, we all had together, and continue to be that dominant team we know we can be.”
Offensive linemen Mekhi Becton (knee) and Brown (shoulder) and running back Breece Hall (knee) remained limited for a second straight day. … Brandin Cooks (knee), one of the Cowboys’ top receivers, remained out of practice on Thursday. He is reportedly dealing with a sprained MCL he suffered in Sunday night’s rout of the Giants.
Cowboys Pro Bowl offensive guard Zack Martin was added to the practice report with a groin injury. He was limited on Thursday.
