Aaron Rodgers shows up to 'The Pat McAfee Show' with an eye patch to support AJ Hawk, clarifies his injury return timeline

No, Aaron Rodgers does not have a new injury to another body part.

And yes, the former Green Bay Packers quarterback can see just fine despite him showing up to "The Pat McAfee Show" today wearing an eye patch.

So why did he have one on today and what's his actual injury status to his Achilles?

Why was Aaron Rodgers wearing an eye patch on "The Pat McAfee Show" Tuesday?

Rodgers didn't dress up for Halloween two weeks ago during his regular appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" to join in on the fun with the hosts.

But on Tuesday, he was dressed with an eye patch as a way to show his support of AJ Hawk, one of the co-hosts on the daily talk show.

"Solidarity," Rodgers said while raising his fist.

Hawk suffered a gruesome eye injury over the weekend at the hands of his youngest son, the former Packers linebacker revealed during Monday's show. Hawk co-hosts the show with McAfee and a group of others.

Hawk said the jab to the right eye resulted in him losing a third of his cornea. "This was not a normal eye poke," explained Hawk, adding "he could barely see anything" from the burning.

Hawk wore a heavy bandage over his right eye during Monday's show with dark glasses. On Tuesday he continued wearing a pair of dark glasses.

Rodgers, who moved the eye patch over his left and right eye at the beginning of the interview, told Hawk that he made it today.

"Just for you, buddy," Rodgers told him.

What is Aaron Rodgers and AJ Hawk's relationship?

Rodgers and Hawk go way back to their playing days with the Packers.

Rodgers, drafted by the Packers in 2005, was joined by Hawk the following year in Green Bay. Hawk played the next nine seasons with the Packers and remains the franchise's all-time leading tackler.

The two have remained close, attending the Kentucky Derby together and golfing in celebrity events. Hawk has been part of McAfee's show for several years, and always appears during Rodgers' segments every Tuesday.

"Injuries that happen at the house there's always some mystery," theorized Rodgers, who suffered his own well-documented injury at his home two years ago while recovering from COVID-19.

"Blaming on the kids seems like real low-hanging fruit," Rodgers jokingly proposed.

Aaron Rodgers trending: Quarterback believes in 'medical freedom and is voting for Robert Kennedy Jr. in 2024 presidential election

What is Aaron Rodgers' injury status to his torn Achilles?

While Hawk recovers from his eye injury, Rodgers does the same with his torn Achilles, an injured that occurred on the first series of the season Sept. 11.

During the Jets' Sunday night game against the Las Vegas Raiders, NBC reporter Melissa Stark reported that Rodgers was eyeing a mid-December return. Rodgers provided clarification to that report.

"I never said anything definitive," Rodgers claimed. "She talked about having a conversation with my amazing doctor. She talked to my doctor about if it would be insane to come back in three months. He responded about the fact that when you bring together a specific type of surgery with this specific patient, with this specific amount of stubbornness and desire to get back on the field, there's a possibility. Nothing's changed around my timeline. We have to be in the mix and I have to be healthy."

The Jets are 4-5 and on the outside of the AFC playoff picture after 10 weeks of the season.

Pressed for a specific date or game on a potential return, Rodgers wouldn't budge.

"There's no set date," Rodgers said. "It could change. If I have a great week, this week and next that could be accelerated. If we are not in it in three or four weeks that could take it a different way. I expect us to be in it and I expect to come back."

Aaron Rodgers says he'll be with Jets full time 'real soon'

While there isn't a date on his return, Rodgers does have a plan on when he wants to return to the team on a "full-time" basis.

"I'm going to be back there full time real soon," Rodgers said Tuesday. "That's always been the plan. Once we got to Thanksgiving it was to be full time."

Rodgers has been around the team on game days over the last month, leaving no doubt about his intentions.

Week by week, he's shown his progress for the NFL world to see. First, he shed his crutches, then he got rid of the walking boot and he's typically flinging the football pregame. He's also donned a headset to stay engaged. But after the games, he's returned to the West Coast to continue rehab with "the best doctor in the land."

That sounds like it will change beginning next week as he plans to be around the team daily.

Rodgers explained how he's in a "unique situation" when compared to other athletes who have suffered a similar injury. "My full-time job is my rehab," he said. "My mindset was I'm going to try to do something that no else has done" in his comeback.

He stressed Tuesday that he's doing everything from "a diet standpoint" and "from a daily modality standpoint" to be ready to return this season.

"I'm more rushed, my time is nearing the end," Rodgers added.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Aaron Rodgers clarifies injury timeline while on 'The Pat McAfee Show'

Advertisement