Dec 13, 2013 3 min read

While saying Aaron Rodgers feels ready to play, coach Mike McCarthy said it was tough to break the news to him that he wouldn’t be taking snaps Sunday.

“Hey, it’s not the easiest thing to sit there and tell your franchise quarterback he can’t play in the game when he wants to play in the game,” McCarthy said after practice Friday. “This is clearly a decision that’s made in the best interest of Aaron Rodgers.”

Rodgers has been sidelined since he broke collarbone early in Green Bay’s loss to the Chicago Bears Nov. 4.

Rodgers practiced on a limited basis this week and even took some reps with the first-string offense in team drills Wednesday and Thursday.

But still not enough to apparently sway the decision to have him play in a critical game for the Packers. This will be the sixth straight game Rodgers misses.

“Frankly, it’s been a difficult morning going through the conversation with Aaron and (team) Doctor (Pat) McKenzie,” McCarthy said. “(Rodgers) feels like he’s ready to play. He’s had a good week of preparation. (But) he did very little today.

“He’s very disappointed. He’s frustrated. But speaking with Doctor McKenzie, this is the right decision.”

Peterson back at practice: Adrian Peterson is again proving his amazing recuperative powers.

Peterson returned to practice Friday for the Minnesota Vikings with a sprained right foot, but his status for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles is questionable.

Peterson practiced after being held out on Wednesday and Thursday. The league’s second-leading rusher with 1,221 yards spent the earlier part of the week in a walking boot and was restricted to work in a pool before Friday.

“Like our medical people mentioned to me on Monday, he’s so different than everybody else when it comes to recovering from injuries,” Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier said. “We’ve been in situations in the past where you thought he wouldn’t make it and then he made it. It was always in the back of my mind there was a chance he’d make it. He’s amazing.”

Jones-Drew doubtful for Bills game: The Jacksonville Jaguars will likely be without starting running back Maurice Jones-Drew and strong safety Johnathan Cyprien on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Both players were listed as doubtful Friday, Jones-Drew with a strained hamstring and Cyprien with a thigh injury. Cyprien, a rookie from Florida International, has been in on every defensive snap this season.

Jaguars coach Gus Bradley held out a slight hope that one or both players might be ready Sunday.

NFL issues fines: Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller has been fined $25,000 by the NFL for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick last Sunday.

Miller popped Fitzpatrick in the helmet with his facemask, resulting in a penalty that led to a touchdown for the Titans in Tennessee’s 51-28 loss. The league announced the fine Friday.

Chicago wide receiver Brandon Marshall was docked $15,000 for wearing non-approved orange cleats during the Bears’ win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. Marshall was fined $10,500 by the league in October for wearing green shoes against the New York Giants. Cowboys defensive back Orlando Scandrick was fined $21,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Marshall, who was deemed a defenseless player on the play. Dallas’ George Selvie was docked $15,750 for roughing the passer.