FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Just days shy of turning 20, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was so cheerful Thursday that he joked about last season’s Achilles injury. The always-confident star, who has fully recovered, said he expects a memorable comeback season.

“I’m very proud of my performances, so when I go out on the field I expect greatness because I’ve done it before,” Rodgers said before training. “So that’s the standard I hold myself to.”

Rodgers, 40, the oldest player in the NFL, will face the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, two days shy of the one-year anniversary of his torn Achilles tendon. It happened on the fourth snap of Game 1, essentially derailing the Jets’ season.

“There might be a little smirk after the fourth (snap),” a smiling Rodgers said, looking ahead to Monday night.

Rodgers hasn’t played a full game in 20 months, since his 2022 season finale with the Green Bay Packers. He also hasn’t played in the preseason, though he has played in a significant number of exhibition games (around 800) in training camp.

Despite his many accomplishments, including four MVP titles and one Super Bowl championship, Rodgers said he still has something to prove.

“I’ve always had a little bit of a thing on my shoulder,” he said. “You have to fabricate things sometimes, but yeah, I mean, it kind of goes back to proving it. Who am I going to prove it to? Only myself at this point.”

The Jets, who enter the season with Super Bowl ambitions, are again counting heavily on Rodgers.

“I think he’s in a great position,” coach Robert Saleh said. “Not only mentally, but physically, he looks great. You guys have been out there every day and you see how good he looks, how good he looks. … He’s a professional. He’s been doing it a long time. He’s not a 40-year-old quarterback, so I think he’s fine.”

Rodgers threw the ball well in training camp, but the part of his game that stood out to his teammates was his ability to move around the pocket. There didn’t appear to be any ill effects from the Achilles injury. Of course, he hasn’t experienced a live pass rush yet.

He reiterated his belief that the Jets, who are 7-10 the past two seasons, have Super Bowl potential. “Of course,” said Rodgers, who raved about his improved offensive line. He also praised the maturity of the locker room, saying that mindset will help the team overcome adversity.

“I’ve always had a little bit of a thing on my shoulder. You have to fabricate things sometimes, but yeah, I mean, it kind of goes back to proving it. Who am I going to prove it to? Only myself at this point.”

Aaron Rodgers

“We can’t ride these waves of emotion or frustration or external stories or whatever,” Rodgers said. “We’ve got to keep this thing really tight. We can’t have leaks or people abandoning ship. We’ve got to realize it’s going to be a long season.”

He made similar comments late last season, saying the team needs to learn to eliminate distractions and “flush out the BS.” That comment drew criticism as Rodgers himself made headlines, first as a suspected vice presidential candidate and later for an unauthorized trip to Egypt during a mandatory minicamp. He was fined by the team for skipping camp.

According to coaches and teammates, his focus has been on football ever since.

“I’m in a good frame of mind,” Rodgers said. “(I)’ve really had a year to remember in a lot of ways — some really tough things, but also some great things. So there’s always a perspective moment during the anthem to gather your thoughts and kind of send gratitude to the universe for the opportunity to be on the field and wear pads. I’ll be really excited about that.”

Meanwhile, the Jets appear to be without Pro Bowl edge rusher Haason Reddick, whose deferment continues. Reddick, who is demanding a new contract, has not participated in team activities since his arrival in a trade from the Philadelphia Eagles on March 29.

Saleh wouldn’t rule out Reddick Monday night, saying he could still play if he showed up for practice.

“It’s doable,” Saleh said. “The opponent we’re playing right now just had two guys (Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk) come into practice. You trust your veterans who know how to do things the right way to get themselves ready to play.”