Aaron Rodgers has been slammed by former New York Jets wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson for his performance against the Buffalo Bills.
Former NFL No. 1 pick Keyshawn Johnson has accused Aaron Rodgers of ‘quitting’ on the New York Jets during the penultimate game of the 2024 season.
In a crushing 40-14 defeat to the Buffalo Bills, Rodgers chose to bench himself, allowing Tyrod Taylor to step in for the veteran quarterback. Despite Taylor’s efforts, throwing two touchdowns after Rodgers’ earlier pair of interceptions, the game was already out of reach.
Post-match, Johnson, an ex-Jets receiver, lambasted the Super Bowl winner on FS1’s ‘Speak’, comparing Rodgers’ behaviour to that of a petulant child. “But the fact that you were 112 yards, two interceptions, you was sacked a bunch and it was 33 to nothing or whatever it was,” Johnson said.
“You decided to take your ball and go home because you wasn’t’ getting your way. What’s the difference between him and the dude [De’Vondre Campbell] in San Francisco?”
Johnson didn’t hold back, criticising Rodgers for not standing with his team through thick and thin. He emphasised that Rodgers had a duty to remain with his teammates, regardless of the scoreline.
Given Rodgers’ attitude during a tough season against one of the league’s top teams, Johnson concluded that he wouldn’t want to share a locker room with him if he were still at the Jets.
“I thought he was on a mission to convince them that he should come back – based on what he did yesterday, I don’t want to be nowhere near him,” Johnson continued.
“Think about when we was little. We went to the playground on the eight-foot courts and we didn’t pick the dude to play. And he had the leather ball. Because we didn’t pick him, he took his ball and went home.
“That’s exactly what [Rodgers] did. He took his ball and went home because he wasn’t getting his way. And the Bills was kicking his rear end. That’s just, the hell is wrong with Aaron Rodgers?”
The 52-year-old also shared that he was giving Rodgers the benefit of the doubt when head coach Robert Saleh was fired and wide receiver Mike Williams was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, the final straw was seeing the former MVP essentially give up on his team. “But deciding I won’t want to play anymore, I’m gonna leave you out there to get beat up, put you out there, I’m gonna throw you in the fire, you go out there and be a pinata.
“I’m tired of being a pinata. Even though they paying me $50million, like stop man. I don’t accept that. People can say whatever the hell they want to say about me. I would never do that.”
With his tenure with the Jets seemingly coming to an undesired conclusion after two disappointing seasons, Rodgers concedes that the game against Miami Dolphins might mark his last appearance.
“This game has given me a lot,” Rodgers explained to the press. “I’ve given a lot back to it, and I’m thankful for it. I won’t be thinking about that on game day. I’ll just be enjoying this. I’m trying to stay in the moment, but, of course, it’s been a long career.”
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