Maxxcash Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers threw 2 more touchdowns and went over 300 passing yards against the Rams Sunday. And he did so despite a fractured toe that has caused him significant discomfort and hasn’t yet healed on its own. But now that the Packers have reached their bye, Rodgers is considering a permanent fix for his toe injury — surgery.
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Aaron Rodgers injury update
Rodgers revealed after the game that he will decide Monday whether or not to undergo surgery.
“Everything’s on the table,” Rodgers told FOX sideline reporter Erin Andrews, who also reported that Rodgers needed a pain-killing injection prior to the game and “he could only feel nine toes.”
If there is a silver lining, it’s this: Rodgers didn’t need a second injection at halftime, which was an improvement over Week 11.
Rodgers also said he benefited from not practicing all last week.
What’s next for Aaron Rodgers?
The Packers and Rodgers scheduled X-rays for Monday on his fractured left pinky toe, which has been bothering him for weeks. The results of those tests will go a long way in determining whether he needs to go under the knife.
It’s unclear at this time how many, if any, games Rodgers might miss if he indeed undergoes surgery. But according to the Orthopaedic Specialists of Austin, a severely fractured toe can take up to six to eight weeks to heal.
“Be sure to avoid exercise until your surgeon clears you,” the eight-doctor practice recommends on its website. “Resuming activity too soon can increase the risk for re-injury.”
What is the impact on the NFC playoffs if Green Bay’s signal-caller has surgery?
A six-week recovery period could in theory sideline Rodgers through the end of the regular season. However, it seems highly unlikely he would agree to a procedure that would cause him to miss that much time.
The Packers at 9-3 are currently the No. 2 seed in the NFC and have a 3.5-game divisional lead over the Minnesota Vikings. Rodgers, of course, is the biggest reason why.
He has 23 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions, and he’s second in passer rating (105.5) and third in QBR (64.0) and EPA + CPOE composite (0.16).
His backup, Jordan Love, didn’t look ready when Rodgers missed a game earlier this season due to COVID-19, completing 19 of 34 passes for 190 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in a loss to the Chiefs.
What Rodgers’ toe surgery might entail
Typical toe repair procedures only require regional anesthesia. Here’s what else Rodgers can likely expect:
“A small incision is created down the length of your toe to access the fractured areas,” Orthopaedic Specialists of Austin writes generally about its procedures. “Your surgeon then places the bone fragments in their correct positions, then secures them into place using surgical screws, plates, or rods.
“Finally, the incisions are closed with surgical staples or sutures. The area is then covered with a surgical dressing and protected with a cast or a splint.
“The length of surgery depends on the extent of damage. But in most cases, toe surgery can be completed in about two hours.”
