Aaron Rodgers vs Kirk Cousins: Stark Contrast in ACL Rehab Journey & the Quest for Relevancy

Aaron Rodgers became a key topic in NFL headlines last season because of his injury and a potential comeback. For a player who only participated in four plays in the 2023-24 season, that was indeed quite a good amount of coverage. His positive words toward a comeback, possibly making history as the first athlete to recover from an Achilles tear and play in the same season he got injured, built excitement amongst fans.

Nonetheless, Rodgers did not end up returning to the field, and many fans’ hopes were left unfulfilled. For the uninitiated, A-Rod suffered a torn ACL injury during the Jets’ season opener game against the Buffalo Bills, and since then, he has openly discussed his possible return on his regular appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” Even the Jets’ senior officials did not wish to see Aaron Rodgers return until 2024, despite being medically cleared.

All the more, they feared the risk of him re-injuring himself, hindering the upcoming season as well. At first, Aaron Rodgers considered coming back against the Dolphins, which did not happen.

“I don’t think he loves his teammates, I think he loves attention”@EmmanuelAcho on #Jets Aaron Rodgers attempting a comeback from a torn achilles this season.#TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/64c9VAKTTL

— Mike McDaniel (@MikMcDaniel) November 29, 2023

A few weeks later, he eyed a comeback on Christmas Eve against the Commanders in Week 16 — by that time, the Jets were out of the playoff race. Fans kept searching, “Is Aaron Rodgers playing tonight?” throughout the season, but his return remained unrealized. Some disappointed fans even suggested that Rodgers could have at least subbed in for Zach Wilson during a game to test his condition; however, this too didn’t come to fruition.

A Look At Kirk Cousins’ ACL Recovery In Comparison To Aaron Rodgers

The NFL world also has another player recovering from a similar injury, Kirk Cousins. However, the journey of both of these quarterbacks garnered attention for their contrasting approaches. Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousin even had a discussion about the ACL injury. While Aaron Rodgers expressed his eagerness, Kirk Cousins understood that it was not possible this season. Rodgers said on “The Pat McAfee Show”:

“That’s the direction I’d probably point anybody to go but it just depends on what they’re willing to do and how much freedom they have to get out West. But definitely, the type of surgery I did. I think it’s going to be way more mainstream moving forward. It’s not for everybody. It’s not for all body type. The other thing is how quickly do you want to come back? I said ‘let’s come back as quick as possible.’ But Kirk’s in no rush. Like, he’s not going to be able to make it back for this season.”

Cousins had great stats before his Achilles tear, with a 69.5 percent completion rate, 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He stayed out of the spotlight after his injury and was seen helping Joshua Dobbs from the sidelines. Even Aaron Rodgers was seen on the sidelines, but we all saw his reaction to how the Green Gang struggled to maintain its footing.

Recently, Cousins posted a video showing his progress following his injury last year and evidently, the recovery is going well. Recovering from Achilles’ injuries is notoriously challenging and often impacts an athlete’s ability to return to their previous form, or even return at all.

While the video might not be surprising given the top-notch treatment NFL players receive, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was indeed surprised with each update. O’Connell has noticed remarkable strides in Cousins’ recovery every time they check in, whether it be from the medical team or Cousins himself.