Aaron Rodgers sounded a little like a disappointed father scolding his đ€đ©đȘđđ„ren after witnessing one too many spats.
Rodgers, 39, watched from afar last Sunday as the Jetsâ frustrations stemming from offensive futility and a booing home crowd spilled over into two sideline incidents during a 15-10 loss to the Patriots.
Michael Carter yelled in the face of running backs coach Taylor Embree and receiver Garrett Wilson pointed to iPad video during an animated conversation with quarterback Zach Wilson and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
âThereâs been too many little side conversations, and we just need to grow up a little bit on offense and lock in and do our jobs,â Rodgers said Tuesday on ESPNâs âThe Pat McAfee Show.â âAnd not point fingers at each other. Thatâs everybody.
âDonât point fingers at the coaching staff. Donât point fingers at each other. Just get back to work and get the job done. Itâs more the side stuff that I donât like, and I want to see us stick together through the tough times.â
Rodgers called it a âfrustrating game,â but he stopped short of singling out his friend, protĂ©gĂ© and replacement, Zach Wilson, or his friend and beloved play-caller Hackett.
Aaron Rodgers joined âThe Pat McAfee Showâ Tuesday.
Aaron Rodgers said heâs not happy with the Jetsâ sideline spats.âThe Pat McAfee Showâ/X
âPlenty of opportunities to win that game,â Rodgers said. âThe defense, I felt like, played great minus the one play they had for a long touchdown. Offensively, we have to find a way to score points. ⊠At home, defense giving up 13 points, we have to win that game. No doubt about it.â
Rodgers plans to return to the Jetsâ facility once he can walk around after surgery on his torn Achilles.
But that could be six weeks away based on timelines he revealed that doctors provided.
Michael Carter in a disagreement on the Jets sidelines.Twitter
Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson got into a sideline spat in the second half of Sundayâs 15-10 loss to the Patriots.AP
By then, the Jets season could spiral into chaos â if it is not there already after franchise icon Joe Namath called for Zach Wilsonâs benching and an organizational housecleaning.
The criticism coming from fans and former players is ânot helping the cause,â Rodgers said.
âThis is what teams have to go through,â Rodgers added. âThereâs adversity points in every season. This year itâs happening early and people are coming for us and there are some heated conversations on the sideline and different things.
âI think we need to hold our poise a little better â really, just offensively. We need to not have some of those things happening on the sideline, and to be a little better competitors.â
âLetâs have a little belief,â Rodgers said, âbecause, as we saw this weekend, anybody can beat anybody. Itâs a home game, itâs âSunday Night Football,â itâs an opportunity to show what weâre all about.
âIâd like to see everybody stick together â our fan base, our former players and our current players â because too much negativity and world-is-crashing-down after three weeks. Long season, lot of time, a lot of things that can happen.â
Such as Rodgersâ return to the facility.
âI want to return when I can walk,â he said. âI feel like thereâs a lot of symbolism in that, and thatâs going to put me in the best headspace.â
Rodgers also criticized Patriots quarterback Mac Jones for his alleged shot to the âprivate partsâ of Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.
âSlapping guys in the nâ is not the best look,â Rodgers said.
Watching Jets games on Sundays has reaffirmed Rodgersâ commitment to shunning retirement in 2024.
âThat was every confirmation I needed that Iâm not done and Iâm going to keep playing,â Rodgers said. âBecause Iâm not just ready to find something else to do on my Sundays. Iâm still invested, living and dying with every play, and pulling for them to figure it out, stick together and get through this tough stretch right now.â
Aaron Rodgers is not happy with Jets teammatesâ sideline antics.Getty Images
Rodgers pointed to how the Jets started 1-2 last season before winning four straight â including one against his Packers â with Wilson under center.
It is impossible not to wonder how different the season might look now if Rodgers had not suffered a season-ending injury on the fourth play of Week 1.
âIt sucks not being there,â Rodgers said. âI miss the guys, miss the leadership opportunities, miss ballinâ and competing. I feel like if I was there, some of those things wouldnât be happening. Not sure weâd be 3-0. Iâd like to think there is a possibility of that.â
Rodgers called for a supportive atmosphere when the 10-point underdog Jets host the Chiefs on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.
He urged fans not to sell their tickets because âyou never know who you are going to see at the game,â which felt like a subtle reference to Taylor Swiftâs romance with Chiefs star Travis Kelce.