Aaron Rodgers returns to Bears-Packers game after leaving field on cart with knee injury

Jason Owens
·Staff writer

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers returned to Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Bears after an injury scare in the second quarter.

Rodgers got sacked early in the second quarter and had to be helped up after clutching his left leg.

Bears DE lands on Rodgers’ leg

Bears defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris, 294 pounds, fell on Rodgers leg before he limped off the field and received attention in a sideline medical tent.

Rodgers left for the locker room riding in the passenger seat of a cart. Second-year quarterback Deshone Kizer took the field to lead the Packers offense in Rodgers’ absence.

Packers confirm knee injury for Rodgers

The Packers confirmed at halftime that Rodgers has a knee injury and listed him a questionable to return for the second half. No details on the injury were provided.

Rodgers returned to the field on Green Bay’s first possession of the second half with the Bears leading, 20-0.

Packers rally for win after Rodgers returns

After a stagnant first half that looked like the start of a Bears rout, Green Bay’s offense woke up with Rodgers back. Rodgers was visibly bothered by his knee and avoided putting weight on it.

Pro Football Talk reports that Rodgers told the Packers that he couldn’t operate under center, and that all of the second-half snaps would have to come out of pistol or shotgun formations.

Despite the limitations, he still managed to hit Geronimo Allison for a 39-yard dime in the end zone before finding Devante Adams for another touchdown in the fourth quarter to keep the Packers in the game.

With 2:13 left in regulation, he found Randall Cobb in the middle of the field who took the ball 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown in a 24-23 Packers win.

He talked about the injury after the game in an interview with NBC.

“My knee,” Rodgers said. “I just felt something in it. Had a hard time putting weight on it. Doc an I had a conversation there, did the tests. I told him I was going back.”

He didn’t elaborate on the nature of the injury, but told NBC’s Michele Tafoya that he plans to play next week in a big NFC North clash with the Minnesota Vikings.

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Aaron Rodgers returned to the second half of Sunday’s Packers-Bears game after leaving the field on a cart with a knee injury. (AP)
Aaron Rodgers returned to the second half of Sunday’s Packers-Bears game after leaving the field on a cart with a knee injury. (AP)