This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! Thanks so much for reading the Morning Win today. We appreciate you. Hope you had a fantastic weekend.
Aaron Rodgers is officially applying a timetable to his torn Achilles recovery. We’re at that point now.
Remember, just last week he told Derwin James that it’d be a “few weeks.” Then, in typical Rodgers fashion, he shifted his language to “a few fortnights,” which is hilarious because I didn’t know it was 1871.
On Sunday the quarterback told NBC’s Melissa Stark that he was targeting “mid-December” for his return.
Aaron Rodgers’ goal is to return in mid-December, he told @melissastark, according to her report on NBC just now. Would be an incredible recovery and in time for a possible playoff push for the #Jets.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 13, 2023
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We have no reason to believe this coming from Aaron Rodgers. I don’t. And, if I were you, I wouldn’t either.
This isn’t something coming from the team or its medical staff. Robert Saleh is already throwing a bit of water on this, saying that “if the doctors clear him, we’ll clear him.”
Translation: Yeah, we’ll see.
If Rodgers does make a mid-December return, that’ll be just over three months of a recovery window. The typical timetable is four to six months at the very least. Rodgers would be shattering that timetable.
Look, there have been some pretty remarkable Achilles recoveries before. Cam Akers tore his Achilles in July of 2021 and made it back in time for the Rams’ Super Bowl in January, but even that was just over five months. There’s also Russian gymnast Artur Dalaloyan, who recovered from a torn Achilles in three months to make it to the 2020 Olympic Games.
But Dalaloyan was 25 years old when that happened. Akers was 22 when he recovered. Aaron Rodgers is 39, folks. What are we doing here? Has anyone asked Rodgers’ Achilles about this recovery window? Because I’m almost certain it disagrees.
The funniest part about this is that there probably won’t be any point to a return by the time Rodgers tries to come back. The Jets are 4-5 and have lost two in a row. Their next two opponents are the Bills on the road and the Dolphins. There’s a chance it won’t even matter if Rodgers plays. What are you trying to come back for, my guy? Take a load off.
Look, man. Y’all can believe this if you want. Me? I’m good over here. Aaron Rodgers won’t be tricking me. Not today. Nope.
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Bill Belichick, it’s time, buddy
Never thought I’d see the day when I thought Bill Belichick should walk away from the Patriots, but Robert Zeglinski makes a pretty compelling case in his weekly awards column.
The reasoning: The Patriots are in for another rebuild. And it could last for a while — even in the NFL where things are lightning quick.
It just doesn’t feel like Belichick would want to wait around, man. The dude is in his 70s. He needs to win now. Retirement is right there.
“The Patriots, who currently own one of the league’s worst records, will almost certainly be drafting a new quarterback (Caleb Williams? Drake Maye?) this April. An extended rebuild likely waits for one of pro football’s marquee franchises. Whoever is the architect of this product will probably have to rip out the studs and build from the ground up.
Does Belichick, in his early 70s, really want to run back this mess and try again? I have my doubts, and I’d worry about him if he did. He should be enjoying retirement, sailing around Nantucket, not worrying about seeing through the overhaul of an atrocious football team that needs a remodel everywhere.”
Look, man. Bill, you’ve had a great run. But it’s time, buddy. Let it go.
READ MORE: Robert Zeglinski’s weekly awards column, featuring lots of Patriots lows, a Josh Dobbs high and so much more.
The Heisman race is so clear
Jayden Daniels should be your leading Heisman candidate and I don’t think it’s that close.
The dude looks like the best player in college football by a long shot. He’s racked up over 4,000 total yards and 38 total touchdowns so far this season. He’s also the first player in college football history to have a game with at least 200 yards rushing and 350 yards through the air. The dude is unreal.
I know, I know. LSU kind of stinks. The team has three losses already. The Tigers won’t make it to the SEC Conference Championship game and they certainly don’t have a dog in the College Football Playoff race.
But sometimes you’ve got to just give the trophy to the best player in the country. And ain’t nobody else in the country doing this.
There is no better player in the country than Jayden Daniels.
85 yards TO THE HOUSE. The moment. pic.twitter.com/e0ug9gYr1E
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) November 12, 2023
Enough said.
Quick hits: Josh Dobbs is real … Draymond Green might be cooked … and more
— Here’s Christian D’Andrea with the best and worst things from Week 10 in the NFL, including Josh Dobbs’ awesomeness.
— Anthony Edwards told Draymond Green nobody was worried about him. I fear it might be over for Draymond. Bryan Kalbrosky has more.
— Tyrese Maxey dedicated his 50-point burner to Kelly Oubre after a scary car accident. What a guy. Here’s Kalbrosky with more again.
— Speaking of Aaron Rodgers, the dude is out here disagreeing with Nathaniel Hackett play calls on live TV. Charles Curtis has more.
— Here’s an NFL betting recap from Week 10 from Ben Fawkes.
— Here’s the current NFL draft order. Patriots fans, I know you’re not used to this. But you’d better get used to it.
Thanks so much for reading, folks! Hope you enjoyed. Have a fantastic week. We out. Peace.
-Sykes ✌️
