Jets' Aaron Rodgers offers update on potential comeback this season

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers hinted during a Tuesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he's not all that close to completing what would be a remarkable return to the lineup this season after he suffered a torn Achilles on Sept. 11. 

"I need to be able to move, otherwise why the hell would I come back? I need to be able to play from under center, and get to an outside zone handoff, and get to a keeper, and be able to move in the pocket, otherwise I'm not doing ourselves - our team, myself, my career - any favors," Rodgers explained, according to Jake Fenner of the Daily Mail. "I need to be able to move and so a lot needs to happen before then. I'm not even jogging, I'm just taking some nice drop backs." 

Rodgers seemed well ahead of schedule in his recovery as he completed drop backs and tossed passes ahead of the Jets' 13-10 overtime win over the New York Giants this past Sunday. NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated subsequently reported on Monday that the Jets "are uniformly keeping the light on for" Rodgers to play again this season amid reports and rumors claiming the four-time Most Valuable Player wants to face a live defense at some point before the end of the year. 

"So a lot's gotta happen," Rodgers continued. "I think now that the walking has really normalized, and I'm able to walk pretty normal, that I think things can progress into jogging and moving. But, listen, today is Tuesday...tomorrow will be seven weeks since the surgery. So we're ahead of schedule, but we still got a long way to go." 

As noted by CBS Sports, Rodgers added that the Jets need to be "alive" regarding the playoff picture for the future Hall of Famer who turns 40 years old on Dec. 2 to have any chance of playing in a game before next summer. The Jets improved to 4-3 via their victory over the Giants and host the 3-4 Los Angeles Chargers this coming Monday night. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, OddsChecker listed the Jets as three-point underdogs against the Chargers.