SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Lindsay H. Jones breaks down the biggest games of Week 16. USA TODAY Sports
GREEN BAY - Aaron Rodgers’ much-anticipated return to the Green Bay Packers’ starting lineup lasted just one game.
Rodgers, who played Sunday against the Carolina Panthers after missing seven games with a broken collarbone, was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, officially ending his season.
The move comes a day after the Packers’ elimination from postseason contention.
By sitting Rodgers, the Packers will be able to give more playing time to backup Brett Hundley, who was 3-4 in the seven games he started during Rodgers’ absence.
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Coach Mike McCarthy had left open the possibility that Rodgers might sit for the last two games if Green Bay (7-7) was knocked out of the playoff race, which happened Monday night when the Atlanta Falcons beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-21.
“Aaron Rodgers is sore, rightfully so,” McCarthy said Monday when asked whether Rodgers would play against Minnesota. “He was hit too many times, took two big hits. So we’re working through that. So we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
It was debatable whether the Packers should play Rodgers with no playoff possibilities remaining. The team waited until Tuesday night last week before clearing him to return for the game at Carolina, and it’s unlikely that his surgically repaired right collarbone is completely healed.
The Packers’ next game is against the Vikings and linebacker Anthony Barr, whose first-quarter hit on Rodgers during the teams’ first meeting Oct. 15 caused the injury. Minnesota (11-3) has clinched the NFC North title.
Rodgers was rusty in his first game back, completing 26 of 45 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns against Carolina but throwing three interceptions in a game for the first time since the 2009 season.
Rodgers was sacked three times Sunday by a Panthers defense that blitzed him frequently and also had six carries for 43 yards.
“They played us extremely aggressive,” McCarthy said. “As aggressive as anybody played us all year.”
The Packers announced the re-signing of quarterback Joe Callahan, who was released when Rodgers returned to the 53-man roster.
The Packers also could choose to sit wide receiver Davante Adams, who is in the concussion protocol after taking a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit from Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis.
Wood also writes for USA TODAY Network-Wisconsin.
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