Jets' Robert Saleh Would Be 'Shocked' If Aaron Rodgers Retired After Achilles Injury

Many are wondering if New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will call it a career after he suffered a torn Achilles in Monday's season opener. However, head coach Robert Saleh isn't among them.

"I would be shocked if this is the way he's going to go out," Saleh told reporters on Wednesday.

Saleh added that he has yet to talk to Rodgers regarding his future plans and this is simply his opinion.

Rodgers is set to turn 40 years old in December, and the 2024 season will be his 20th in the NFL after he spent the first 18 years of his career with the Green Bay Packers. Coming back from a torn Achilles at his age will be no small task, so it would be understandable if the four-time MVP decides to hang up his cleats for good.

However, Saleh's opinion is not farfetched. Rodgers has completely bought in since he arrived to New York this offseason. After restructuring his contract with a $35 million pay cut, he said last month that he intended to play multiple years with the Jets.

"This is going to be a few years partnership," he said at the time. "And after that, hopefully there's not a huge kind of cap issue. That's why we didn't need to backload it or put any special escalator, strange things in the contract to weigh down the organization after I'm done playing."

Now, Rodgers will surely have to reevaluate his options. Suffering a devastating injury four plays into his tenure with the Jets was not the ending anyone was hoping for, but New York will have to bounce back quickly if the team hopes to be successful this season.

The best possible outcome for the Jets at this point would be for him to remain around the team in a mentorship role to third-year quarterback Zach Wilson, who will be taking over as the starter going forward.