Randall Cobb couldn’t sense the severity of Aaron Rodgers’ injury right away.
It occurred in the middle of a series. Cobb had seen the 39-year-old overcome other obstacles across their 10 years together in Green Bay, too.
If anything, Cobb said Thursday, he expected Rodgers to sprint out of the tunnel at any point Monday against the Bills and return to the Jets sideline.
Then, halftime came.
The reality of Rodgers’ injury — later diagnosed as a season-ending Achilles tear — became clear.
Cobb described it as a “terrible” incident that “sucks,” and for the rest of the Jets’ season, he’ll be forced to operate without the longtime teammate who helped Cobb resist retirement this offseason.
That doesn’t mean the 33-year-old’s role with the Jets has changed, though.
“I worked my ass off to get back from the [ankle] surgery that I had,” Cobb said, “Obviously, I’d love to play with [Rodgers], but unfortunate things happen. That’s part of life, and you have to move on.
“I’m gonna be the best friend that I can be for him, but I’m also, I got a job to do and I look forward to continue to put the work in and help this team out any way I can.”
For Cobb, Rodgers became a reason the 32-year-old was in the Jets’ facility at all Thursday.
Cobb could’ve been retired.
He could’ve made the pair’s Lambeau Field farewell in January — when they strolled off side by side — the final scene of his career.
He could’ve taken his Pro Bowl appearance and his 1,000-yard accolade from 2014 and stepped away from everything.
He wouldn’t have been on the sidelines when Leonard Floyd dragged Rodgers to the turf, when the quarterback shook his head and then sat down as trainers examined the injury.
Cobb has spoken on the phone with Rodgers since the injury and was certain he’ll conquer this recovery just like he’s “overcome a lot of things.”
The pair were Packers teammates in 2013 and 2017 when Rodgers broke his collarbone twice and followed those setbacks with a pair of Pro Bowl appearances and one MVP honor.
But Cobb didn’t want to speculate about Rodgers returning in 2024 — something Rodgers hinted at in an Instagram post about being “heartbroken” and promising to “rise yet again,” and something offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett indicated Thursday, too.
In order for the pair to reunite again, Cobb would need to put off retirement for another season as well.
“Whatever decision that he’s gonna make, I’m gonna support him and that decision,” Cobb said. “I know he’s gonna do everything he can to be healthy, so I look forward to this journey with him and helping him in any way I can.”