Figures around the NFL have commented on the Denver Broncos‘ benching of Russell Wilson for the final two games. New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the latest to share his thoughts on the surprising situation.
The four-time MVP joined the January 2 episode of “The Pat McAfee Show” and offered his honest take on the Broncos’ decision to bench Wilson.
“Look, the NFL is a great profession, it’s a tough business,” Rodgers said during his weekly appearance. “And this type of stuff is more commonplace than you would think. Obviously, we’re talking about a premier player here and some bizarre circumstances.”
Rodgers objectively acknowledged that “Russ probably wasn’t [Sean Payton’s] first choice” and that the benching “definitely paints the last however many weeks in a way different light.”
The pairing between Payton and Wilson came under question following a Week 15 loss to the Detroit Lions. During the game, cameras caught Payton screaming at his quarterback for reasons unknown.
The Jets star reminisced playing opposite Wilson’s Seattle Seahawks when he played for the Green Bay Packers.
“Seattle and Green Bay were two of the premier teams in the 2010s especially, and we had some battles over the years. There was a great rivalry and we couldn’t seem to beat him other than in the ‘Fail Mary‘ game in Seattle. They couldn’t beat us in Green Bay,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers gave kudos to Wilson for making the most of a bad situation.
“My heart actually goes out to Russ for dealing with this. Say whatever you want about him, I think he’s handled this pretty well. I definitely applaud him for speaking on it because it’s a tough situation.”
"I think Russell Wilson has handled what happened in Denver pretty well and I applaud him for speaking on it..
That's a pretty scandalous situation and he was definitely playing better than he did last year" ~ @AaronRodgers12 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/rPqm9y5pKI
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 2, 2024
Aaron Rodgers Hints at a ‘Common Enemy’ With Russell Wilson
While Rodgers spoke about Wilson’s benching, he seemingly fired a passive-aggressive shot at the Broncos head coach.
“I think we have more of a common enemy based on some comments that have been said about a dear friend of mine and then seeing this come out,” Rodgers remarked.
The star has likely developed bad blood towards Payton regarding his offseason criticism of the Jets and his “close friend,” offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Payton blamed the Broncos’ 5-12 campaign in 2022 squarely on Hackett, according to a July 27 story by USA Today’s Jarrett Bell. Rodgers has been close with Hackett since he held the same role in Green Bay from 2019-21.
In the same article, Payton ripped New York for “trying to win the offseason” while anticipating a collapse. The veteran coach was inevitably proven right, but not before rubbing Rodgers and the Jets the wrong way.
Whether Wilson harbors similar disdain for Payton or views him as an “enemy” will remain a topic of conversation.
Russell Wilson Trade Highlights Perils of Trading for an Aging Quarterback
Rodgers should understand that the grass is not always greener on the other side, as Wilson has discovered during his Broncos tenure.
The future Hall of Famer tore his Achilles just four plays into the 2023 campaign in Week 1. His season-ending injury came after an offseason where countless analysts pegged the Jets as a Super Bowl contender.
The trades for Rodgers and Wilson highlight the perils of an NFL team trading for an aging quarterback.
Heading into Week 18, New York has gone 6-10 without Rodgers, while the Broncos have missed the postseason in back-to-back years since trading for Wilson in March 2022.
Denver forked over valuable draft capital and players for the right to acquire Wilson. The Broncos only went 11-19 in his 30 starts before being benched ahead of Week 17.
There is still time for Rodgers to prove the Jets were right in trading for him. The veteran must hurry as Father Time remains undefeated, which Wilson learned the hard way in Denver.
