Aaron Rodgers Reached Out To Jaelan Phillips After He Suffered Achilles Tear In Same Stadium

Miami Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips saw his season come to a painful and abrupt end on Friday when he snapped his Achilles in the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Jets. Aaron Rodgers knows the feeling.

So the future Hall of Fame quarterback is showing solidarity with Phillips.

According to Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, Rodgers reached out to the 24 year old to offer his support.

"I don't know him personally, but I've heard great things about Aaron Rodgers and the type of human being he is," McDaniel said. "And I think he was working some channels to get in touch with Jaelan as of last night through a couple of people that have some relationships with them."

When Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into Week 1, everyone assumed he would miss the remainder of the season. But the four-time NFL MVP seems to be on a mission to prove everyone wrong. His recovery is way ahead of schedule, and the 39-year-old even predicted he'd return to the field in mid-December.

Whatever he's doing, McDaniel believes Phillips will be eager to listen.

"He's a smart guy that's not afraid to chase the most exotic science," McDaniel said. "Jaelan Phillips, he's not one of those old-school, I've always done it this way type of guys. He'd be open to whatever."

Jaelan Phillips Begins Rehab For Achilles Injury

Phillips' Achilles tear is not only a devastating blow to the Dolphins' defense, but it's also a heartbreaker for Phillips himself. The California native was a first-round pick in 2021, but it was a tough road to get there.

Phillips played college football at UCLA for two seasons before medically retiring after 2018 due to sustaining several concussions and other injuries. But he decided to return to football in 2019 as a Miami Hurricane.

And now this.

(Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

So McDaniel believes support from a veteran like Rodgers will help Phillips' recovery, both physically and mentally.

"I think player relationships — it's important for the actual tangible rehabilitation, but it's also important to talk to guys that have been through similar situations," McDaniel said.

"You're a performance athlete that needs to maintain mental stability and health with regards to being a professional athlete that can't be an athlete at the time. I think all of those things are very important."

In Phillips' absence, the Dolphins will have to lean more heavily on Andrew Van Ginkel and Emmanuel Ogbah.

As for Rodgers, a return in 2023 is still on the table. But with the Jets' playoff hopes looking more like a pipe dream, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for him to push it.

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