Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers returned to his normal workload this week after surviving a health scare that kept him away from the team for 10 days. Rodgers admitted that he underwent a medical procedure last Monday and got definitive good news that tests for an unspecified health issue came back negative.
"This whole experience has kind of been weird," Rodgers said Thursday. "I didn't want to be a distraction. I didn't want to be a detriment. But to see those guys go business as usual and keep performing was really a joy to see."
Rodgers, 49, was flooded with texts from players and former colleagues across the league after Todd Bowles revealed that his friend was dealing with a "serious" issue a few days before the Jets Week 5 game against the Broncos. Defensive players made it clear that they were playing for Rodgers, whose phone was filled with thoughts and prayers.
"That's priceless," Rodgers said. "From my standpoint, you never want to be a distraction to the team. I knew everybody else was having to pick up all the way from the coaching staff. Todd had to do more, the assistants had to do more, but the players got a job to do. I feel like I'm hindering them. But to know they were thinking about me while they were trying to do their jobs really means a lot.
"It was really touching," he added.
Rodgers admitted that the hardest part of the past couple weeks was having to watch the Jets' win against the Broncos from his couch. He was at the team facility for parts of every day last week doing "tedious" work, Bowles said. Rodgers was in the coach's booth last weekend as nothing more than an observer. He didn't have any input or offer suggestions during the game.
"It's just good to be back," Rodgers said. "Sometimes you take for granted what it is to be around the guys and be with them every day and kind of a family unit that it becomes."
Rodgers said he's fully healthy now. Bowles and Rodgers said that they would discuss how the play-calling duties will be handled against the Vikings in the coming days. Bowles went 2-0 as the lone defensive play-caller in Rodgers' absence.
"I was like, 'Dang!" Rodgers said, laughing. "I need to stay away more often."
