Aaron Rodgers apparently helped Zach Wilson win a (pretend) million {dollars}.

Aaron Rodgers is probably not on the sphere with the New York Jets but, however the workforce seems to be feeling his presence within the quarterback room with backup quarterback Zach Wilson.

After Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon in the course of the Jets’ first drive of the season earlier this yr, Jets coach Robert Saleh mocked reporters who have been writing off the workforce.

“I don’t know why individuals are attempting to place an obituary beneath our workforce’s identify,” Saleh advised reporters through Zoom.

Frankly, there’s an easy reply: As a result of they misplaced a 39-year-old quarterback to probably the most severe accidents in sports activities. For many groups, this may be an nearly not possible hurdle to beat.

However the Jets are unlikely to be an excellent story this yr. Behind the 24-year-old Wilson, they’ve rallied and grow to be playoff contenders who will both be one sport away from fishing at .500 after Monday’s contest in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers (in the event that they lose) or a tie with the Cincinnati Bengals at 5-3 (in the event that they win). .

How did they do it? The workforce’s quarterback room could possibly be an enormous piece of the puzzle, mentioned passing sport coordinator Todd Downing The athlete It’s “brotherhood”.

in response to The athleteDowning likes to maintain his conferences with the quarterback enjoyable. When he asks gamers about Jets performs, he’ll typically accomplish that within the type of a sport present like Hazard or Who desires to be a millionaire? Now and again, Downing spouts non-football trivia, and in some unspecified time in the future, Wilson hits the Million Greenback Tour. Going through a query about The Shawshank Redemption As a result of he could not reply, Wilson used his lifeline “pal’s telephone” to name Rodgers, who claimed he was watching the film as Wilson known as him.

Rodgers served as de facto assistant coach this season, however the workforce hopes he can nonetheless return to play in some unspecified time in the future. This type of transformation could be nearly unprecedented, however Rodgers says he has benefited from a cutting-edge surgical procedure that he believes may change the best way Achilles tears are handled sooner or later.

It stays to be seen whether or not Rodgers can truly obtain that. He has repeatedly mentioned that he has a whole lot of standards to fulfill earlier than he can return to the sphere, which vary from easy working to extra superior endeavors like avoiding pursuit when defenders break by the offensive line.

However Rodgers can also be an enormous believer in showcasing. As he put it Pat McAfee Present Final month, he had nice religion within the “energy of intention.”

“I imagine within the energy of your thoughts and your will,” he mentioned. “Willpower. Mainly, all this time I mentioned, ‘That is what I need to do by way of rehab.’ I’ve some nice individuals to work with.”

And Rodgers additionally appears to imagine in Wilson.

“These two (Wilson and Rodgers) have an excellent massive brother, little brother relationship happening, and it has been enjoyable to look at,” Downing mentioned. The athlete.