Rodgers’ return to the field could be short-lived
On Sunday, Aaron Rodgers made his return after a two-month absence due to a broken collarbone. Rodgers was supposed to save the Packers’ season, but a three-interception outing in a loss to the Panthers means the Packers’ playoff hopes have gone from slim to nearly impossible. And now, there’s a chance that Rodgers’ comeback could already be over.
On Monday, roughly an hour before the Falcons-Buccaneers game kicked off — a game that matters a ton to the Packers — Mike McCarthy refused to guarantee that Rodgers will play in the Packers’ Week 16 game against Vikings.
“Aaron Rodgers is sore, and rightfully so,” McCarthy said, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “He was hit too many times. Took two big hits. We’re working through that and we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
There’s no doubt that Rodgers is probably sore. He didn’t play for two months and he rushed back in time to get sacked three times by the Panthers.

But — and this is just me guessing here — it certainly feels like Rodgers’ status could be determined by what happens on Monday night. If the Falcons win, the Packers will be eliminated from playoff contention. If that happens, the Packers will have no reason whatsoever to throw their banged-up 34-year-old quarterback onto the field in a meaningless game against one of the league’s best defenses. But if the Buccaneers beat the Falcons, the Packers will be mathematically alive. And then it makes sense for Rodgers to play — so long as he isn’t risking his long-term health, of course.
That’s the key here: The Packers can’t jeopardize his long-term future. He’s 34. They only have so many years left to win another Super Bowl with Rodgers. It’s probably not going to happen this year. They can’t make a bad situation worse by getting him injured in a meaningless game.
Even with Rodgers, the Packers shouldn’t be favored against the Vikings. In Rodgers’ return, he definitely looked rusty, going 26 of 45 for 290 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 71.5 passer rating. He was awful under pressure. According to Pro Football Focus, the Panthers applied pressure on 18 of his 53 dropbacks and Rodgers completed five of his 13 passes for 78 yards, one touchdown, two picks, and a 45.2 passer rating.
But the Vikings would still rather see Brett Hundley. Though they’ve already clinched the NFC North title, they’re fighting for home-field advantage. At 11-3, they’re a game behind the Eagles for the NFC’s top seed.
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