Keyshawn Johnson let Aaron Rodgers have it for what he saw as the Jets quarterback benching himself during Sunday’s blowout loss to the Bills.
On FS1’s “Speak” on Monday, Johnson ripped his former team’s quarterback after he admitted to suggesting he leave the game as the Jets went down 40-0 at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
“You decide to take your ball and go home because you wasn’t getting your way,” Johnson said. “… You quit on your team, man. I’m not going to be nice to Aaron Rodgers like that. I thought he was on a mission to convince them [the Jets] that he should come back. Based on what he did yesterday I don’t want to be nowhere near him.
“He took his ball and went home!” he continued. “That’s exactly what he just did. He took his ball and went home because he wasn’t getting his way and the Bills was kicking his rear end. What the hell is wrong with Aaron Rodgers.”
During a postgame press conference after the 40-13 loss, Rodgers revealed that it was his idea to bring in backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor as the game got out of hand.
“I mean it was 33-0, we were sitting there & I said at some point probably go to Tyrod here, huh? Then the next play [the Bills] threw a screen for a touchdown. So it was 40-0,” Rodgers said.
Taylor eventually went into the game and led two Jets touchdown drives.
Johnson compared Rodgers’ actions to 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell’s refusal to play in a game early this month. The former star wide receiver didn’t give in when fellow pannel members Paul Pierce and Joy Taylor tried to say the situations were different because Campbell walked out while Rodgers stayed on the bench.
“He took his ball and went home! That’s exactly what he just did,” Johnson retorted “He took his ball and went home because he wasn’t getting his way and the Bills was kicking his rear end. What the hell is wrong with Aaron Rodgers?”
In the week leading up to the game, Rodgers played up the importance of the divisional matchup even though the Jets had long been eliminated from playoff contention, calling the last two weeks against the Bills and Dolphins “an audition for all of us.”
The loss dropped the Jets to 4-12 and 2-9 since Robert Saleh was fired in late October.
Asked about his future with the Jets after the game, Rodgers said: “I’m going to enjoy next week and then take some mental and physical rest.”
