Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson exchanged some heated words Tuesday, but they’re not too worried about their relationship.
The New York Jets quarterback and wide receiver both downplayed a heated conversation in training camp that went viral earlier this week, in which the two both appeared to snap at each other and make a number of gestures toward the field. The video quickly started to make the rounds on social media.
A day later, Wilson was asked about how Rodgers’ emotions resonate with the rest of the offense. He responded in a way that didn’t make it seem like he was at odds with the four-time MVP:
“He’s vocalizing he was pissed off. I know when we’re getting our ass beat, I’m pissed off. I may not vocalize it that way to the guys, but I’m pissed off too, so it’s kind of a mutual feeling. I’m glad he said something. It’s not personal, I don’t think anyone in this building takes it that way. This is our leader right here, obviously he’s not happy with what we’re doing, so it can be a reminder of some of the guys”
Rodgers was subsequently asked about the matter and painted his conversations with Wilson as a positive step forward:
“G and I got a great relationship,” Rodgers said. “We spend time together off the field. On the field, there’s a way of doing things that we both agree on, and when it doesn’t look exactly how we want it to, sometimes there’s side conversations that happen. I love those conversations, it’s about the details, it’s about winning, it’s about seeing what he sees.
“He’s got to get on my page, but I got to get on his page, too, because he’s got a whole book that I need to understand fully, of skill set and ability and feel and rhythm and all the different things that he does out there. So those are good conversations. They might appear to be much more heated than they are, but there’s usually a smile on our face afterwards — at least one of us.”
So Rodgers and Wilson both say they’re more angry about the offense’s lack of success than at each other.
Not coincidentally, it’s hard to argue no players are more integral to the success of this year’s Jets offense than Rodgers and Wilson. New York acquired Rodgers in a blockbuster trade last offseason with the hope that he would make them an instant Super Bowl contender, but most NFL fans know what happened next.
With Rodgers sidelined for all but four snaps with a torn Achilles, the offense languished, finishing 29th in the NFL in points scored and 31st in yards gained during a 7-10 regular season. Wilson was given a heavy workload, posting 1,042 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 168 targets, which was fourth in the NFL.
The Jets will now be hoping for a resurgent season from Rodgers and an elite season from Wilson, who has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to open his NFL career despite the Jets’ lamentable quarterback play. Each player will depend on the other to make it happen, even if it gets heated from time to time.
