Packers' Rodgers confirms right thumb broken

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers ne'er felt the request to get into details astir his close thumb wounded for 1 reason: It was ne'er going to support the Green Bay Packers backmost from playing.

That's wherefore it wasn't until Wednesday erstwhile helium yet -- and reluctantly -- confirmed that it was so broken.

"It doesn't marque a quality with maine playing," Rodgers said. "It doesn't marque a difference. You saw the portion connected my thumb. Didn't marque a difference."

Rodgers has been dealing with the wounded since helium was sacked by Giants linebacker Oshane Ximines connected the last play of the Packers' Oct. 9 crippled successful London. Rodgers attempted a Hail Mary, but Ximines deed Rodgers' throwing limb and forced a fumble. Immediately aft the play, Rodgers came up flexing his close hand.

Rodgers was asked specifically connected Oct. 26 if his thumb was broken. He replied astatine the time: "My thumb is hurt."

Even erstwhile Pat McAfee asked Rodgers connected Tuesday during his play quality connected McAfee's amusement if the thumb was broken, Rodgers conscionable said helium had played with breached fingers earlier without elaborating connected this wounded specifically.

"I deliberation I've had worse injuries I've played with," Rodgers said Wednesday. "Definitely a challenge, but the days disconnected helped. Feeling amended this week."

He was backmost astatine signifier Wednesday aft an extended interruption pursuing the Packers' nonaccomplishment to the Titans past Thursday, erstwhile Rodgers' accuracy was possibly astatine its worst. He missed throws astatine captious times successful the 2nd fractional to Allen Lazard and Sammy Watkins that helium described arsenic passes he'd implicit 99 times retired of 100. Still, helium insisted the thumb wounded had thing to bash with those misses.

"There's 1 successful each 100 that doesn't travel disconnected the close way," Rodgers said.

When asked whether he's conscionable saying that due to the fact that helium doesn't privation to dependable similar he's utilizing the thumb arsenic an excuse, Rodgers said: "I deliberation it's the truth. My thumb was hurting a batch worse successful the Dallas game, and I enactment the shot wherever I wanted to."

Indeed, Rodgers had pinpoint accuracy conscionable 5 days earlier successful a triumph implicit the Cowboys. As a whole, however, Rodgers' accuracy numbers person been down since the injury. He completed 69.7% of his passes with 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions successful the archetypal 5 games of the play with the Packers astatine 3-2. In the adjacent six, of which the Packers person won lone one, his completion complaint dropped to 62% with 11 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.

However, Rodgers said helium has had different injuries that person impacted his quality to propulsion much than this one.

"When I wounded my genu successful '18, you propulsion from the crushed up, truthful that was decidedly hard connected the footwork, works leg," Rodgers said. "When I broke my scale digit successful college, that was astir apt a somewhat much important digit to woody with. I retrieve I was astatine signifier and Coach Tedford said, 'I don't attraction what's hurting, you've got 1 time disconnected and if you miss different time of practice, you're the backup again.' So determination was nary choice."

Unlike Cowboys backmost Dak Prescott, who needed his fractured thumb surgically repaired earlier this play and missed 5 games, Rodgers said country was ne'er considered and won't beryllium needed aft the play unless thing other happens.

"I don't cognize what [Prescott] had, but it astir apt wasn't," Rodgers said erstwhile asked if his wounded was arsenic severe.

Rodgers and the Packers had 5 days disconnected earlier they returned to the signifier tract connected Wednesday to hole for Sunday's crippled astatine the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I anticipation it helped his thumb," Packers manager Matt LaFleur said. At 4-7, the Packers tin sick spend galore much -- if immoderate -- losses and inactive person a accidental to marque the postseason. Some person likened this to the 2016 season, erstwhile the Packers were 4-6 and heading to Philadelphia erstwhile Rodgers said helium thought they could "run the table."

However, the Eagles squad Rodgers & Co. faced six years agone was 5-5. This 1 is 9-1.

"I consciousness assured we're going to spell retired and play well," Rodgers said. "But I don't deliberation this is the past stand."