Aaron Rodgers returned to MetLife Stadium following his injury on the field during the New York Jets season opener on Monday Night Football.
The star quarterback was seen on the field prior to the game engaging with the night’s opponents from the Chiefs like Patrick Mahomes and fellow Taylor Swift fan Travis Kelce. Rodgers was seen in crutches and NBC Sports reported during that he flew in from California surprising his teammates.
(L-R) Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs talks with injured Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets
Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
“I spoke to him a few hours ago on the field. He told me he was medically cleared to fly and traveled in from Los Angeles last night. He surprised the team at their hotel. Only Robert Saleh [Jets coach] knew he was coming,” Melissa Stark reported. “Rodgers told me he had to be here. He wanted to tell the team to relax, to ignore the noise, saying we’re only three games in.”
Stark also noted that Rodgers would fly back to California to get his stitches removed and “aggressively continue rehabbing over five hours a day.”
Although some classified his injury as season-ending, Rodgers is hopeful that he will be able to play again this season and plans on rejoining the team permanently after the week seven bye.
Rodgers’s appearance at MetLife Stadium also happens to be the same night that Taylor Swift made an appearance to support Kelce and the Chiefs. The Jets QB is a massive Swiftie and went to her Eras Tour concert earlier this year.
Rodgers made his NFL regular season debut as a New York Jet earlier this year but it didn’t last long as the football star suffered an injury after four snaps. The future Hall of Famer, who turns 40 in December, tore his Achilles tendon during the game against the Buffalo Bills that was ultimately won by the Jets.