For some reason, Shannon Sharpe wants credit for a take about Aaron Rodgers that couldn’t be more off-base
An NFL Hall-of-Famer wants some apologies for his stance on the New York Jets’ starting quarterback.
On his “Nightcap” podcast, Shannon Sharpe spoke about how he feels validated for his Aaron Rodgers opinions based on the quarterback not attending mandatory minicamp.
“I’ve been trying to tell y’all for a decade. Unc can read a locker room. I remember when I went to do an interview and talked to the receiver. And I ain’t gonna say no names, but I know what was told to old Shay. And when I went back and said it on TV, everybody tried to shut me down. Nah bro, nah bro.”
Sharpe added that he feels Rodgers is “selfish” and “does not care about the team.” Additionally, co-host Chad Johnson said he “feels bad” for Garrett Wilson and said that Rodgers “can’t do this to his new team.”
The Rodgers discussion has completely jumped the shark at this point.
Many media members have taken the situation for what it is, but others have blown it up to demonstrate New York’s “dysfunction” and Rodgers’s selfishness. They have said that, due to two missed practices in June, the Jets are screwed and that people should be worried about their 2024 season.
However, whether or not the Jets will succeed will not depend on Rodgers being at June practices. It will depend on the future Hall-of-Famer’s ability to get through the regular season. It will depend on the offensive line’s health, namely Tyron Smith and Alijah Vera-Tucker. It will depend on the coaching staff’s adjustments and progress from last season.
Aaron Rodgers is a polarizing figure who has controversial views. I do not agree with everything he says, and I have called him out on being a hypocrite before.
However, nuance is critical for this discussion. While missing a mandatory practice is less than ideal, it is a non-story for a player who attended the rest of the offseason program. This is especially true when the team’s star cornerback goes out of his way to defend him while the head coach insists he and Rodgers are on “the exact same page.”
The firestorm surrounding Rodgers is a byproduct of who he has become as a figure. Some have used the quarterback to garner clicks and attention on social media. Others have used the story to confirm their prior opinions of Rodgers, while others genuinely believe that missing minicamp is a big deal.
At the end of the day, the Rodgers “situation” is only a situation because of who the quarterback is in the eyes of the media and a severe lack of real football news to discuss. It is something that will blow over and be forgotten about in late July, when Aaron Rodgers steps foot in the team’s facility for training camp.
Until then, the story should be treated as fodder. While it’s possible that Rodgers could negatively impact the Jets in 2024 and become a further distraction, that is only speculation for the time being. Right now, the Jets’ quarterback only missed two non-contact practices, and the situation should be treated as such.