The Manningcast is back for a third season in partnership with ESPN, and it didn’t take long for massive news to emerge during the show’s first broadcast of the 2023 campaign. The Week 1 battle between the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills featured grand anticipation for many reasons, but high on the list was the debut of Aaron Rodgers under center for New York. However, Rodgers was pressured heavily for the majority of the first drive and, after he was sacked by Buffalo’s Leonard Floyd, he left the field and quickly headed for the injury tent.
Over on ESPN2, the Mannings had to react to seeing Rodgers go down with an ankle injury and the two former star QBs had the same reaction of every Jets fan, a combination of shock and feeling ill.
Peyton and Eli react to Aaron Rodgers’ apparent injury. pic.twitter.com/sykQOyKjpk
— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2023
Shortly after, ESPN cameras caught Rodgers moving to a cart and, as that happened, Peyton expressed further disbelief that Rodgers’ injury was severe enough to require him to go back to the locker room.
Peyton Manning in complete disbelief seeing Aaron Rodgers get on the cart.
“Holy… cow. I CANNOT believe this…” pic.twitter.com/rhnPY7LYYw
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 12, 2023
“Holy cow. I cannot believe this,” Manning said. “I thought it was just an ankle. I thought we’d go tape it up and get him back in there. Come on.”
Manning likely spoke for Jets fans in that moment as he seemed genuinely flabbergasted with what transpired. The Jets quickly announced an ankle injury for Rodgers that gave him a questionable distinction to return, but former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson remained under center when New York came out for the second drive and reports indicated Rodgers was in a walking boot leaving the X-ray room at MetLife.