Jets QB Aaron Rodgers cleared for return to practice

The New York Jets on Wednesday opened the 21-day practice window for Aaron Rodgers, less than three months after the star quarterback sustained a torn Achilles in the team's season opener.

The Jets will have until Dec. 20 to activate Rodgers from injured reserve.

Coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Wednesday that Rodgers would be limited in practice.

"I know we're getting caught up in trying to create a narrative around it, but the true narrative is he's old school in the sense that he's driven," Saleh said. "Is there motivation to be the first ever to do it? Sure, that's OK. That's his why.

"... It's a mentality that young guys should be able to grasp. He loves this organization, he wants to be with his teammates, he wants to be here. I think he's sacrificed so much already for the organization, and himself, and his teammates, and he's doing it again. It's a testament to who he is as a human."

The move also comes one day after Rodgers broached the topic during his weekly appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show."

"It's always been, first, am I healthy, and then are we alive, are we in it, are we playing good enough to make a run? Can I step in and protect myself and play at the level that I feel like I'm capable of playing? But the first part is to help so can I protect myself, can I move around the way I want to move around, so there's a natural progression here to the rehab," he said.

"And, you know, that's going to involve actually getting back onto the field to start to do some things that are more football related but again, we're still not where I can make a decision on playing."

Behind beleaguered Zach Wilson and his replacement, Tim Boyle, the Jets are 4-7 and currently out of the playoff picture. They host the Atlanta Falcons (5-6) on Sunday.

The four-time NFL Most Valuable Player said Tuesday that doctors haven't cleared him.

"I think the step is just getting back onto the field and doing some more real football things," Rodgers said. "Throw to my teammates and go through some individual part of practice. I think will be kind of the next step to see what my lateral movement is like, and after going through some of these more football related moves, how do I respond? How does my leg respond to that?"

—Field Level Media