New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers says New York Giants linebacker Jihad Ward is a lying, dog-faced pony soldier.
During last Saturday night’s preseason game between the Giants and Jets, Rodgers and Ward had to be separated by a game official. The jawing began after Ward bumped Rodgers late and the quarterback took exception to it.
Buy Giants TicketsAfter the game, both Ward and Rodgers were mum on the incident with the four-time MVP saying everyone would just have to wait for HBO’s Hard Knocks to see what happened.
When the episode did air, it showed the post-shove exchange between Rodgers and Ward.
.@AaronRodgers12 said there would be some good trash talk in Hard Knocks.
He was right. pic.twitter.com/zaCX5fEglf
— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 30, 2023
After the episode went to air, Ward explained his version of events.
“There’s a reason why I acted like that (in) the first place,” Ward told the New York Daily News. “There’s a reason why I shoved him like I did. The reason why is because I don’t let none of my mother (expletive) teammates get knocked over, you know what I’m saying?”
Ward was angry that Jets wide receiver Randall Cobb delivered an illegal hit on Giants safety Bobby McCain resulting in a concussion. He was even more angry that Cobb and Rodgers were laughing about it.
“And Randall — what’s his name, Randall Cobb? — he knew what he did,” Ward added. “That was some cheap (expletive). But it’s like, if I see anything on the field, I gotta do what I gotta do. This ain’t no rah-rah this, that and a third. I don’t do all this internet stuff. I’m gonna let them have it.
“That was some sucker (expletive) that Randall Cobb and Aaron Rodgers did. And I’m stamping on that. I ain’t hiding from nothing. So you could laugh now, cry later … They know what they did, and they (were) laughing and all that stuff. And I was the only one that was sticking up for (McCain).”
But now Rodgers is disputing Ward’s interpretation of the incident, falt-out calling him a liar.
“I think he’s making (expletive) up,” Rodgers said, via Connor Hughes of SNY.
The problem with Rodgers calling Ward a liar is that cameras are everywhere and the quarterback was mic’d. Both of those captured Rodgers and Cobb joking and laughing in the huddle after the illegal hit, while Cobb’s wife also joked about it in the stands.
Not only did the Jets appear to play dirty and then joke about it, but they’ve lied about it repeatedly in the aftermath.
Ward sure seems like he has a legit beef here.
