GREEN BAY — Aaron Rodgers got choked up just thinking about it Tuesday.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback has won Super Bowl XLV, been named the NFL MVP, set franchise and NFL records and done some remarkable things during his six years as a starter. But it was what he experienced walking back onto the field Monday night in sweatpants and a hoodie that had his eyes welling up with tears less than 24 hours later.
Rodgers, who had been knocked out of the Packers' 27-20 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football with what has been diagnosed as a fractured collarbone, returned to the field in street clothes with just over 6 minutes remaining in the third quarter. And the reaction he received from the Lambeau Field crowd left him speechless — then, and when he tried to talk about it on his weekly radio show on 540 ESPN and ESPNWisconsin.com
"I will say this: This is a rough game. We put our bodies on the line; we do it because we love this game," Rodgers said. "But when I walked back out on that field — I'm getting a little choked up here just thinking about it — but that was one of the top 5 moments of my career there. The reception I got from the fans was, it was, it was pretty special."
Rodgers eyes grew moist, and he paused.
"So ... yeah," he said.
Asked what happens next, Rodgers needed a moment.
"Let me catch myself here," Rodgers said.
Rodgers, who confirmed earlier in the interview that he did indeed fracture his collarbone, said he was leaving Lambeau Field and was expecting to undergo more tests. He does not expect to play against Philadelphia next Sunday but is hoping to return sooner rather than later. Seneca Wallace will start in his place against the Eagles.
"Any more tests we've got to do, we'll do them. It's a waiting game now," Rodgers said.
Rodgers is the latest key player to suffer a major injury, following left tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee), running back DuJuan Harris (knee), outside linebacker Clay Matthews (thumb), wide receiver Randall Cobb (broken leg) and tight end Jermichael Finley (bruised spinal cord). Wide receiver James Jones returned Monday night after missing two games with a knee injury.
"I think the key for all of us to remember is that this is a next-man-up mentality that we have for our team," Rodgers said. "Whether it's Clay or myself or James or Randall, we need to have faith in the next-man-up mentality.
"Seneca took probably four snaps with the first-team offense last week. So he's going to get a chance to go through the reps with the first team, and I think we've got a lot of confidence in him. That's why we brought him in. He's been throwing it really well in practice, he's very bright, this will be a good chance for him to go through the week as the guy and get ready to play the Eagles. Obviously the players are behind him, but as a fan base (we) need to get behind him as well."
Jason Wilde wrote: