Aaron Rodgers catches a lot of heat in the media and draws quite a bit of criticism from countless haters. However, his NFL teammates appear to see him through a different lens.

Near the end of each season, the New York Jets vote on a series of in-house awards. Players cast the votes.

The Dennis Byrd Award is presented to the ‘Most Inspirational Player.’ Past winners include:

• Ronnie Lott
• Wayne Chrebet
• Curtis Martin (three times)
• Chad Pennington (twice)
• LaDainian Tomlinson (twice)
• Demario Davis
• David Harris
• Frank Gore
• C.J. Mosley

That list only begins to scratch the surface. It has been awarded each year since 1992.

Byrd was the first recipient after overcoming a brief paralysis from an in-game neck injury that year. He later walked again despite the odds stacked against him!

Rodgers came away with the Byrd Award this season even though the 40-year-old quarterback played just four snaps after tearing his Achilles during his first game with his new team. His comeback must have served as inspiration for the Jets locker room.

The rehabilitation process for a torn Achilles normally takes about a year. Superhuman recovery can present a timeline around eight months.

Aaron Rodgers dominated that expectation. He underwent surgery just days after his injury and had a ‘speed bridge’ put in his lower calf to expedite the recovery process.

As a result, Rodgers was able to get back on the field in a matter of months. There was a point at which he was able to drop back during pregame within a few weeks of tearing his Achilles. He was back on the gridiron — in practice — prior to Week 15 of the NFL season. That’s insane!

Apparently, the players in New York took note of his remarkable return. They clearly found enough inspiration in his recovery and determination to disprove all scientific projections to vote him as the Byrd Award winner!