RODGERS TELLS JETS TO ‘GROW UP’
QB also hits back at Namath, wants team to stick together
Aaron Rodgers completed a coast-tocoast pointed pass to the reeling Jets — and to team icon Joe Namath — during his weekly spot on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday.
Taking a break from jabbing Bears fans, the former Packers quarterback stepped into the mess that has quickly become the Jets, pleading with current players to “grow up” and essentially asking one former Jet to shut up.
Rodgers — sidelined after getting hurt four plays into his Jets debut — says he didn’t care for their sideline behavior during Sunday’s 15-10 loss to the Patriots.
“We need to hold our poise a little bit better across the board,” he said. “Just offensively, we need to not have some of those things happen on the sideline and to be a little better and to be a, just be a little better competitors.”
Wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Michael Carter were caught on camera in animated conversations with assistant coaches. Carter, in particular, was hot, screaming at running backs coach Taylor Embree.
Rodgers, who watched from his home in Malibu, California, said there were “too many little side conversations, and we just need to grow up a little bit on offense and lock in and do our jobs and not point fingers at each other — and that’s everybody. Don’t point fingers at the coaching staff, don’t point fingers at each other. Just get back to work and get the job done.”
The Jets (1-2) have dropped two straight games, as the Zach Wilson-led offense produced only two touchdowns in the two defeats. Wilson, who replaced Rodgers on the fifth play of the opener, has come under fire.
“I feel like if I was there, some of those things wouldn’t be happening,” said Rodgers, who underwent Achilles surgery Sept. 13. “[I’m] not sure we’d be 3-0 — I don’t know that. I’d like to think there’s a possibility of that, but it’s more the side stuff that I don’t like and that I want to see us stick together through the tough times.” Namath fueled the firestorm Monday, ripping Wilson in an interview with “The Michael Kay Show” on ESPN New York radio. Namath said Wilson was “awful” against the Patriots, adding that he’d trade the 2021 No. 2 pick because he has “seen enough of Zach Wilson.” He also said coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas should be replaced. Rodgers was asked about Namath’s comments, and although he didn’t address Namath by name, he made it clear he didn’t appreciate the negativity. “When we’re not having success, how do we respond? How do we respond to adversity? And that goes for our fan base and former players as well,” Rodgers said. “You’re not helping the cause.
“I’d like to see everybody stick together — our fan base, our former players and our current players because there’s too much negativity and the world is crashing down after three weeks. [It’s] a long season, a lot of time, a lot of things that can happen. So, let’s just take a couple breaths, OK?”