The Green Bay Packers top offensive weapon will return to action Sunday as the team has announced that Aaron Rodgers will be under center for the first time since suffering an injured collarbone eight weeks ago when the team takes on the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field with the NFC North division crown up for grabs.
According to Fox Sports Wisconsin, Packers coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that Rodgers will start for the first time in seven games after he fractured his collarbone playing against the Bears back on Nov. 4 at Lambeau Field in a game that was won 27-20 by the Bears.
In recent weeks Rodgers has been practicing on a limited basis in the last couple of weeks as he slowly worked his way back from the collarbone injury he suffered in Week 9. Rodgers had failed to be medically cleared to return in the past couple of weeks and Matt Flynn had started at signal caller for the team in his absence.
The Packers have gone 2-4-1 without Rodgers, and the quarterback is by far their most dynamic offensive player ,so a return to the field could lead the to the Packers winning the NFC North for the third consecutive season. The Packers (7-7-1) were hopeful that Rodgers would be ready to go when the team takes on the Bears (8-7) in a huge regular-season finale clash and luckily their wish came true.
McCarthy had expressed Rodgers' frustration with the injury on Monday while also saying the Packers were going to make a quick decision.
"Aaron wants to play," McCarthy said Monday via NFL.com. "He fully accepts and understands everything that is going on with his injury. This is clearly a decision for [general manager] Ted Thompson and I. I think it's important for us to make a quicker decision."
The team had waited until Friday to make their decision in the previous two weeks but McCarthy said earlier this week that he wanted the decision on Rodgers status to be made quicker than usual so the team can prepare for its biggest game of the year. That decision came Thursday and luckily for the team Rodgers is good to go.
Rodgers is 168-for-251 (66.9%) for 2,218 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions thus far this season.
After seven games on the sideline dealing with the frustrations of an injury, Rodgers will now take the field with a chance to lead his team to the NFC North Division crown.
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