Aaron Rodgers' blame game provides stark contrast to Brock Purdy
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has gotten into some hot water for criticizing his wide receiver Mike Williams. This provides a stark contrast to how San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy handles adversity.
The play in question regarding Williams and Rodgers occurred in Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills. With roughly two minutes left in the fourth quarter, and the Jets down by three, Rodgers threw an interception on a ball downfield to Williams where the receiver got turned around and slipped allowing the defensive back to swoop in and catch the ball for a pick.
After the game, Rodgers did not exactly accept responsibility for the play.
Instead, he blamed his wide receiver for not being in the right spot.
Rodgers seemingly blames Mike Williams for the game losing int.
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) October 15, 2024
“There’s two verticals, Allen’s down the seam and Mike’s down the redline… so I’m throwing a no look to the redline. When I peak my eyes back there Mike’s running an ‘in-breaker’ … it’s gotta be down the redline.” https://t.co/qEZvkKbquw pic.twitter.com/n910IMqUA8
The day after the loss, Rodgers appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and doubled down on his criticism of Williams.
This made former Jets quarterback and current NFL analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick call out Rodgers for a lack of leadership:
This response is the biggest thing I don’t understand about Aaron….can be super charismatic, his swagger gives teammates the ultimate confidence BUT
— Ryan Fitzpatrick (@FitzMagic_14) October 15, 2024
why can’t he shoulder ALL the blame in the media and then get behind closed doors with Mike Williams or the whole offense or the… pic.twitter.com/JyEhoX1DVP
Fitzpatrick makes a very important point about Rodgers airing all of this publicly. This seems like a classic situation where, if Williams in in the wrong, you accept the blame publicly and say you need to be better and then behind the scenes you talk to Williams and explain to him what you were expecting to see on the play.
Instead, Rodgers decided to seek attention and create a story that did not even need to exist by being a bad leader and throwing his teammate under the bus.
Just compare the way Rodgers is acting to how Purdy acted earlier in the year when wide receiver Ronnie Bell had a massive drop against the Los Angeles Rams that could have cost the Niners the game. Purdy is so humble and mature that he told reporters after the game that he could have given Bell a better ball even though he threw an absolute dart and hit Bell right in the hands.
That is true leadership.
Real leaders accept the blame and say they need to be better. Real leaders build their teammates up rather than embarrassing them publicly. Let's keep in mind that Purdy is 16 years younger than Rodgers. Yet, he conducts himself like he is much older and wiser, which says a lot.
Niners fans should feel fortunate that they can cheer for a quarterback who is not afraid to accept blame himself and deflect blame from others. The selfishness of Rodgers just brings the selflessness and maturity of Purdy into even starker relief.
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