New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers expressed his displeasure with the criticism of his teammate, Jack Wilson, calling it a “character assassination.” The reports suggested that the former number 2 overall pick was reluctant to reclaim the starting position after being benched early in the season.
According to The Athletic’s report, citing multiple team sources, the Jets were interested in having Wilson return as the starting quarterback for their Week 14 game against the Houston Texans, alongside Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian. However, Wilson was hesitant due to the perceived risk of “potential injury” after dealing with various challenges over the past three years.
Aaron Rodgers, who faced Achilles injury only four times during his tenure in New Jersey, dismissed the reports as “completely ridiculous” and expressed his love for Wilson. He questioned the credibility of the sources and the motives behind creating such narratives, emphasizing the difficulty of dealing with character attacks, whether intentional or unintentional.
Addressing the situation, Aaron Rodgers said, “First of all, you can go down the rabbit hole with real sources, anonymous sources in the building. Why is someone ready to become a source?” Rodgers questioned during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday. “What are they gaining from it?
“Repeatedly, when you use sources and, whether intentionally or unintentionally, try to assassinate someone’s character, as the report does for Zach, it’s tough for me,” Aaron Rodgers added.
The 40-year-old further stated, “Can you read it in any other way? You’re essentially saying that this kid is leaving the team, doesn’t want to play, and is giving the organization the middle finger. I don’t want to speak for him. He’s got an opportunity to speak this week, and I’ll let him speak… (but) he’s been through a lot in the last three years, and he has every right to be frustrated and disappointed about it.”
CNN has contacted Wilson for a response to the report. Wilson has not publicly commented on The Athletic’s reporting and is scheduled to speak with the media on Thursday.
At the beginning of this week, when Jets head coach Robert Saleh was asked about who would start as quarterback for their Week 14 game against the Houston Texans, he remained silent, though he denied the reports that Wilson was unwilling to reclaim the starting position.
Saleh stated on Monday, “Be clear, if (Wilson) was unwilling to play, he wouldn’t be here.” “In reality, coincidentally, my conversation with him just ended about half an hour ago. He came in about half an hour ago, and we had a very good conversation.”
“He wants to play. He wants to start. He believes he’s the best quarterback in the room and the best quarterback for this team and the person who gives us the best chance to win,” Saleh said.
“Now we’re in a society where kids miss bowl games because they’re worried about their draft status, right?” Saleh said. “So empathetically, if the conversation was had and then it wasn’t with me, but if the conversation was had and somehow it got leaked to the media, then I don’t think it’s a sign of his mental state. The kid wants to play.”
The Athletic’s story discussed Wilson’s reluctance to return as the Jets’ starting quarterback, citing anonymous sources within the organization.
Aaron Rodgers, a four-time NFL MVP since 2010, expressed frustration with the culture of leaks within the Jets organization. “We need to go to the bottom of this and stop it privately because there’s no room for a winning culture – and this isn’t the only time; there’s been another group of leaks.”
Rodgers said, “Some conversations are only for specific people, and they shouldn’t leave the building. Whether you’re in the locker room where you say something to your teammate, and it doesn’t go anywhere. Or you say something in the team meeting room [and] it doesn’t go anywhere. There are many examples this season where things are happening. It’s not right, and we need to end it in any necessary way.”
CNN has the right to respond to Aaron Rodgers’ comments about leaks within the Jets organization regarding Wilson’s criticism. Despite seeking his first postseason berth since 2010, the Jets – who forgave Boyle on Tuesday and signed Brett Rypien from the Seattle Seahawks practice squad – were given a glimmer of hope last week when Aaron Rodgers was approved to practice, allowing him to return to the team for the first time this season, despite initial expectations that he would remain out for the remainder of the season.