Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson exchanged some heated words on Tuesday, but they aren’t too worried about their relationship.
The New York Jets quarterback and wide receiver downplayed a heated training camp conversation that went viral earlier this week in which the two appeared to attack each other and make several gestures toward the field. The video quickly began circulating on social media.
A day later, Wilson was asked how Rodgers’ emotions resonated 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 that he was upset. I know when we’re getting beat up, I get upset. I might not vocalize it that way to the guys, but I’m upset too, so it’s kind of mutual. I’m glad he said something. It’s not guys, I don’t think anyone in this building understands this. This is our leader here, obviously he’s not happy with what we’re doing, so it might be a reminder from some of the guys.”
Rodgers was later questioned about the matter and painted his conversations with Wilson as a positive step:
“G and I have a great relationship. 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, sometimes there are side conversations that happen. I love these conversations, it’s about details, it’s about winning, it’s about seeing what he sees.
“He has to get on my page, but I also have to get on his page, because he has a whole book that I need to fully understand, about skill set and ability and feeling and rhythm and all the different things he does out there. . So those are good conversations. They may seem a lot more heated than they are, but there’s usually a smile on our faces afterwards – at least one of us.
Therefore, Rodgers and Wilson say they are more angry with the offense’s lack of success than they are with each other.
Not coincidentally, it’s hard to argue that no player is more important 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 he would make them an instant Super Bowl contender, but most NFL fans know what happened next.
With Rodgers sidelined for just four snaps due to a torn Achilles tendon, the offense languished, finishing 29th in the NFL in points scored and 31st in yards gained during a 7-10 regular season. Wilson received a heavy workload, recording 1,042 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 168 targets, fourth in the NFL.
The Jets now hope for a resurgent season from Rodgers and an elite season from Wilson, who posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to open his NFL career despite the Jets’ woeful quarterback play. Each player will depend on the other to make this happen, even if it gets heated from time to time.
