Packers HC Matt LaFleur talks Aaron Rodgers injury, recovery

“I would think that somebody of his caliber, I would bet that he would have no problem coming back from it.”

The biggest story of the NFL’s opening week of action was the injury to former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Just four plays into his New York Jets career, Rodgers had a full tear of his Achilles tendon, which ended his 2023 campaign pre-maturely.

Wednesday marked the first time that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur could answer questions about how he experienced the injury on Monday night, including how he believes Rodgers’ recovery will play out. For reference, LaFleur tore his Achilles in his first season as the Packers’ head coach — with the injury occurring in an offseason basketball game.

Below is the full exchange from LaFleur on Rodgers from today’s press conference:

Reporter: Matt, what was your reaction to Aaron Rodgers’ injury the other night? I know you had a similar injury back in 2019. Just your thoughts on what’s happened to him that his season is, I guess, done this year.

LaFleur: Yeah, it’s tough. I feel for him. Never want to see anybody go through that. I think anytime you have a player of his caliber not playing the game of football, it’s bad for our game.

Thoughts are certainly with him and I know I have so much respect for him, I’ve said it a million times, just how tough he is, the competitor he is. I knew when he went back down to the ground, it had to have been something serious because I’ve seen him play through so much.

Reporter: Matt, I know you weren’t rehabbing to play quarterback in the NFL, but you were 40 [years old], which is what he’s going to be when that happened. How difficult is that to come back from, just to being functional?

LaFleur: Well, I know I’m an elite physical specimen. I would think that somebody of his caliber, I would bet that he would have no problem coming back from it. I really believe it. I know the type of worker he is and so it’s just going to be a choice of whether or not he wants to continue to play or not.

Reporter: Did you reach out to him at all, Matt?

LaFleur: I did. I shot him a text.

You can watch LaFleur’s Wednesday press conference in the video below.