Jets' Aaron Rodgers Praised by Robert Saleh: 'His Superpower is His Presence'

Aaron Rodgers is back on the field throwing passes five weeks after tearing his Achilles, and New York Jets coach Robert Saleh cannot stop praising his quarterback's efforts behind the scenes.

"His superpower is his presence," coach Robert Saleh told reporters Monday. "Him being in this building, being around his teammates, being in the locker room, his positive attitude, his thoughts of manifestation and all that stuff, I think it's powerful."

Rodgers made a surprise appearance on the field prior to Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, throwing passes and then staying with the team on the sidelines. The four-time MVP had been watching games from a luxury box as he recovers from a torn Achilles suffered in Week 1's win over the Buffalo Bills.

Saleh said he was not sure how much Rodgers contributed to the offensive gameplan against the Eagles, but he was shown on the sidelines wearing a headset and communicating with teammates.

"I guess you'd have to ask [offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett] on how much it actually provides, but I definitely know he's got thoughts and I know he's helping the quarterback the best he can. So him having a headset on, I can tell you this much: It doesn't hurt," Saleh said of Rodgers.

The Jets' defense deserves most of the credit for the team's upset win over the then-undefeated Eagles, as it forced four turnovers to put New York in consistently good field position. Zach Wilson did avoid throwing an interception for the third time in his last four starts and has shown improvement and increased confidence in recent weeks.

Rodgers has been adamant that he will attempt to return this season, which would mark a never-before-seen recovery from an Achilles tear. However, it would only make sense for Rodgers to return if the Jets are in playoff contention. That effort will be laid largely at the feet of Wilson, who is surrounded by quality skill position players and has a Super Bowl-caliber defense on the other side of the ball.

The Jets go into their bye week at 3-3 and have a winnable matchup in Week 8 against the New York Giants. The longer the Jets stay in the hunt, the higher the odds of Rodgers making a return become.