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Sept. 12 (UPI) -- The New York Jets earned a dramatic triumph over the Buffalo Bills, but suffered a huge loss the same night, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers sustaining a season-ending torn Achilles, a league source told UPI on Tuesday. An MRI confirmed Tuesday morning that Rodgers tore the tendon in his left leg in the first quarter of the 22-16 victory Monday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
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"Not the way any of us wanted it to go, but we know the commitment you've made to this team will continue to impact us moving forward. Get well soon, Aaron Rogers," the Jets tweeted.
Jets coach Robert Saleh said Monday night that the injury was "not good" and that he expected an MRI would confirm the team's fears that Rodgers tore his Achilles.
"It's something none of us want to see," Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner told reporters. "That's my guy. He is a great teammate and a great leader. It caught us off guard. We dedicated winning the game to him."
Saleh also said that Zack Wilson, who filled in for Rodgers on Monday, will be the Jets' starter for the rest of the season.
Wilson completed 14 of 21 passes for 140 yards, a touchdown and an interception against the Bills. The Jets went on to win on a walk-off punt return from wide receiver Xavier Gipson in overtime.
Rodgers penned one of the NFL's best off-season storylines when he joined the Jets in an April trade from the Green Bay Packers. The move beckoned high expectations for the Jets, who were among the Top 10 preseason betting favorites to win the Super Bowl. They now are among the bottom half of teams with odds to win the Lombardi Trophy.
The veteran quarterback, who spent 18 seasons with the Packers, was on the field for just 75 seconds of game action in his debut for his new team.
Rodgers threw an incompletion on his first pass attempt with the Jets, when occurred about 3 minutes into Monday's game. Hew threw another incompletion on the next play, which was negated because of a holding penalty on the Bills.
Rodgers took the next snap out of the shotgun formation. Bills defender Leonard Floyd came flying around the left edge.
Rodgers spun to his left, attempting to elude the defensive end. Floyd managed to hang on, bringing him down for a sack. Rodgers' left leg bent awkwardly as he was slammed to the ground. He then walked back to the huddle, before falling back to the ground in pain.
Rodgers was loaded onto a cart and taken into the tunnel from an X-ray, which returned a negative result for broken bones.
"I sacked him and I guess he got hurt," Floyd told reporters after the game, when asked about Rodgers. "I didn't realize he got hurt until later in the game, when he didn't come back in.
"It felt good to make a sack for the team at that time."
The Jets will face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys are 7.5-point favorites.
