His old team is going to the playoffs, and Aaron Rodgers insists he plans to use the next nine months to prepare for the next game that counts with the New York Jets.

Head coach Robert Saleh praised Rodgers, who was recognized as the most inspirational teammate, for his energy and focus as the franchise heads into the offseason.

“Stick with us. We want to be the team holding that trophy,” Rodgers said Monday. “I look forward to building the excitement again — and hopefully we’ll have more fortune next year. We are close. We have a core group of really solid guys. We need some pieces.”

Saleh said Rodgers, recovering from a torn Achilles in September, spent December “carving up the scout team” and could have played in a meaningful game this month if the Jets were in a better position.

Rodgers declined to discuss his comments about late-night host Jimmy Kimmel last week, instead inviting viewers to tune in to his weekly paid interview with ESPN’s Pat McAfee on Tuesday.

“I’m going to talk about it tomorrow on the show,” he said.

The Jets went 7-10 in 2023 for the second consecutive season. Their last playoff appearance was at the end of the 2010 season, when the Jets lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rodgers turned 40 in December and spent much of the season, which he said Monday felt like “a lost year,” as a sounding board for backup Zach Wilson. But Rodgers doesn’t necessarily believe a return for Wilson next season is in his best interest.

“Sometimes a change of scenery can be a breath of fresh air,” he said.

Rodgers said he’s willing to lend a hand recruiting free agents again if general manager Joe Douglas wants an assist. From his perspective, the Jets need work on the offensive line and Saleh said another playmaker at wide receiver is “very important” to take defensive focus away from Garrett Wilson.

But Rodgers doesn’t doubt the “scheme” or offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and described New York as being “close” as contenders in 2024.

“I’d like this to be more than just next year,” he said.

–Field Level Media

Dec. 24 was already an incredibly optimistic date for Aaron Rodgers to return from a torn Achilles. But the New York Jets quarterback wouldn’t rule out an even earlier comeback.

“Anything is possible,” Rodgers told Jets beat reporters in his first comments at the team facility since his injury Sept. 11.

Rodgers returned to practice on Wednesday, 11 weeks to the day after surgery to repair his Achilles. Rodgers has continuously said he wants to return this season provided he’s healthy and the team is “alive” in the AFC playoff race.

Christmas Eve is the Jets’ third-to-last regular-season game, at home against the Washington Commanders, so that might not be enough time for Rodgers to singlehandedly resurrect the Jets’ season. New York is 4-7 and mired in a four-game losing streak.

Rodgers — who turns 40 on Saturday — won’t be back for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, but the clock is ticking, especially after the Jets activated his 21-day return-from-IR window.

“It feels great to be on the practice field, but I’m not anywhere near ready to play,” Rodgers said.

Specifically, Rodgers is throwing and working on dropbacks, but at this point in his recovery he is not ready to run at game speed.

“I don’t think I can protect myself as well as I want to at this point,” he said.

Rodgers acknowledged the risk in coming back early — Achilles tears usually sideline NFL players 9-12 months — and the fact that the Jets are a playoff race outsider doesn’t help matters.

“I don’t think that would make a ton of sense,” Rodgers said of coming back to an eliminated team. “I don’t know what the team is going to feel about that … it would be a risk for myself, for the team to sign off on. If we’re out of it, I would be surprised if they would OK that, to come back.”

There’s always next year, as Jets fans have been telling themselves since the late 1960s, but Rodgers’ future with the team is no sure thing.

A day after Jets coach Robert Saleh said the team was under the impression that Rodgers would play for them in 2024, Rodgers was asked if his return next season was tied to Saleh, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and general manager Joe Douglas returning to New York.

Rodgers called it a “trap question.”

“I want to play and I feel like the Johnsons (team ownership) want me to be here,” Rodgers said. “I feel like it’s a really good organizational structure, I feel like Joe has drafted really well, I feel like Robert is a fantastic coach, so is Nathaniel. Those decisions are out of my hands.”

–Field Level Media