Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he had been declared fit to return on Tuesday, two months after suffering a broken collarbone that threatened to end his season.
In a message on Instagram, Rodgers said he had been informed he was free to play again, handing the Packers a huge boost as they attempt to resurrect their season.
"It's been a long road from that day to this, but I'm happy to say I've been medically cleared to return," Rodgers said, next to an apparent image of him heading into surgery in October.
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"Thanks for all the love, support, prayers, and well wishes over the past eight weeks," he added, thanking the medical staff who repaired his injury.
Rodgers, who led the Packers to a Super Bowl title in the 2010 season, was hurt in the first quarter of Green Bay's 23-10 defeat at Minnesota Vikings on October 15.
Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy had signalled that Rodgers was close to a return on Monday, saying the quarterback felt ready to play.
"In his mind, he's ready to go. If you watch him practice and the conversations with him," McCarthy said. "But this is a medical decision."
The Packers are currently 7-6 and have been 3-5 since Rodgers was injured.
Rodgers could now return this weekend when the Packers face the Carolina Panthers in a crucial battle that has play-off implications for both sides.
