New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Jets' Aaron Rodgers apologized to star WR after season-ending injury

It sounds like New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers understood the seriousness of his injury not long after he was carted off the field during Monday's home game against the Buffalo Bills. 

As shared by Karl Rasmussen of Sports Illustrated, young Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson spoke during a Tuesday appearance on local sports radio station ESPN New York about Rodgers going down with a season-ending torn Achilles just four snaps into his Gang Green tenure. 

"My heart hurts for Aaron," Wilson acknowledged. "Just seeing him last night and the emotion that was going into him getting out there ... it sucks man." 

Wilson was among the Jets players who unofficially yet publicly recruited Rodgers to the Big Apple this past winter when the future Hall of Famer was with the Green Bay Packers. The two quickly built a strong relationship and repeatedly gushed over each other leading up to Monday's regular-season opener that the Jets won 22-16 in overtime without Rodgers' services. 

Wilson revealed he chatted with Rodgers during the game's halftime break. 

"At halftime, I just went in to check on him in the training room, just made sure I gave him a hug, told him I love him," Wilson said about that conversation. "It really hurt my heart. He told me, 'Sorry kid.' Just like that. 'Sorry kid.' Truly heartbroken, for real." 

Rodgers accepted a massive pay cut earlier this summer to offer the Jets financial relief and make himself available to play through at least the 2024 season, but that was before Monday's events. 

The four-time NFL Most Valuable Player turns 40 years old this December and realistically may never return to his best form or even to what he was on Monday afternoon assuming he doesn't ride off into the sunset of retirement following his devastating injury:

Jets head coach Robert Saleh made it clear Tuesday afternoon that previously demoted 2021 first-round draft pick Zach Wilson is Rodgers' replacement atop the depth chart until further notice, beginning with this Sunday's matchup at the 1-0 Dallas Cowboys. 

Garrett Wilson famously said last November that New York's offense was "sorry" during a loss at the New England Patriots when Zach Wilson was in the lineup, but the two will now need to become fast friends if the 2023 Jets are to avoid completely falling apart without Rodgers. 

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