Aaron Rodgers has admitted that he worried his football career would be over when he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury on Sept. 11 of last year.

"I was really thinking, 'This is it. You don't come back from this injury,'" the 40-year-old quarterback said in a two-hour interview on the "I Can Fly" podcast.

His night began when he ran out with the American flag during the pregame introductions, which he called "one of the highest highs in my sporting career." Minutes later, on the New York Jets' first possession of the season, he was carted off with a season-ending injury.

"I had this incredible offseason experience in a new city, a new town, with new teammates, a new organization, an owner for the first time, and really falling back in love with the game that I first fell in love with when I was 5 years old," Rodgers said. "It was absolutely beautiful and special and deep and rich and yummy, and just incredible.

"And then, one of the most heartbreaking nights of my life, when I played four plays. Talk about an ego death."

The New York Jets are confident that Mike Williams will be on the field in Week 1.

"Mike, he's got a long way to go," coach Robert Saleh said. "He's on the same timeline that Breece (Hall) had. They're very similar injuries, same time frame. He knows he's got a road to trek, but at the same time, if he does it the right way, we're very confident we'll have him ready for Week 1."

Williams, 29, tore his ACL on Sept. 24. He said during his introductory press conference with the Jets that he expected to be ready for the start of the 2024 season.