As if the New York Jets haven’t had enough bad luck this season, head coach Robert Saleh announced on Monday that offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker is out for the year after suffering a torn Achilles on Sunday against the Broncos. The Jets won the matchup 31-21 but lost Vera-Tucker to the same injury that cost quarterback Aaron Rodgers his first season with New York in Week 1.
“For AVT, unfortunately, the MRI showed that he did tear his Achilles, so he is out,” Saleh said.
This is the second year in a row that the former USC has had his season cut short due to injury. In 2022, Vera-Tucker tore his triceps muscle, also in the month of October, knocking him out for the rest of the year.
The Jets drafted the former Trojans standout with the No. 14 pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Now, the versatile tackle will join Rodgers in the arduous recovery process with the hopes of returning for the 2024 season in full health. The former Packers QB is hoping to recover even sooner than that.
Rodgers details Achilles recovery
The presence of Aaron Rodgers on the sideline for the Jets’ Sunday Night Football matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs last week was a sight to see after he suffered from a torn Achilles in the very first possession of his New York debut.
Many were surprised to see how mobile Rodgers was following his serious injury, as he moved around freely on crutches while applying weight on his injured leg. On the ‘Pat McAfee Show’ Tuesday, Rodgers provided an update on his recovery and rehab process.
“The first goal was really to be able to be upright, to be out of a boot, and to be able to do some semblance of walking by the time I got back,” Rodgers said. “I had this game circled on my schedule, I mean I couldn’t fly until I got cleared again last week with no blood clots, so coming to the Sunday night games was always on the agenda and that was the goal. So definitely met that one.”
Rodgers has the reputation of being an intuitive and forward thinker, and that same mindset has applied to his rehab journey with his Achilles, as he explained how he and Dr. Neal ElAttrache are working towards a recovery that may be speedier than usual for an injury as severe as the one he sustained.
“Now the next goal is to be able to walk without crutches, it’s pretty obvious I’m well ahead of the normal protocols when it comes to rehab for this kind of thing. But that was always what my mindset was and that was what Neal and I talked about in the locker room honestly after it happened,” Rodgers explained.
On3’s Kaiden Smith contributed to this report.
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