ESPN Personality Accuses Aaron Rodgers Of Being A 'Cancer'
Yesterday at 12:03 PM
The pitchforks are out on Aaron Rodgers as the New York Jets scramble to save their season.
Little has gone according to plan for Gang Green since they acquired the star quarterback from the Green Bay Packers last year. Rodgers tore his Achilles on his opening drive with the team in 2023, and he's returned to oversee a 2-5 start following four straight losses. Rodgers, who has gone eight full seasons with six or fewer interceptions, already has seven this year and six in his last three contests.
Since firing head coach Robert Saleh, the Jets have dropped consecutive AFC matchups to the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers. Chris Canty became the latest pundit to blame Rodgers for the team's downward spiral.
On Thursday's Unsportsmanlike, ESPN Radio co-hosts Evan Cohen and Michelle Smallmon wondered if Jets defenders would prefer to have Saleh around instead of Rodgers. Canty condemned the 40-year-old's locker room presence.
"The last couple of years in Green Bay, we suspected that Aaron Rodgers could be a little bit toxic, especially with a young team," Canty said (h/t Awful Announcing). "I had no idea that it would be this bad. I mean, this guy is like a cancer that has metastasized within the New York Jets organization. And I don't know how they fix it."
Rodgers has turned into one of the most polarizing figures in sports. In January, he implored the team to "flush the bull****" despite creating many of those distracting stories with comments made on The Pat McAfee Show.
Following the Week 6 loss to Buffalo, Rodgers called out wide receiver Mike Williams for running the wrong route. The Jets then acquired his former Packers teammate, Davante Adams.
Jets fans would likely tolerate the mercurial quarterback's off-field persona if he was playing at a high level. However, Rodgers is averaging 6.5 yards per pass attempt with an 82.2 quarterback rating.
Rodgers will try to silence the outside noise when the Jets play the New England Patriots this Sunday.
Related: ESPN Employees Calling Out Aaron Rodgers' Appearances On Pat McAfee
