Aaron Rodgers has fiery response to unflattering Zach Wilson report

Aug 19, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during warmups for the Jets game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Rodgers has issued his highly anticipated response to the unflattering report that surfaced on Monday about Zach Wilson.

Dianna Russini and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported on Monday that the New York Jets want to insert Wilson back into the starting lineup, but the quarterback is reluctant to reclaim his old job. The supposed reason is that Wilson is concerned about getting injured.

The report also claimed Rodgers reached out to Wilson in an effort to encourage him to accept the assignment.

As expected, Rodgers was not pleased with the story. He addressed it during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Tuesday.

“When you use sources and — whether intentional or unintentional — try to assassinate someone’s character like that report does for Zach, I have a real hard time with that,” Rodgers said. “You’re basically saying that this kid is quitting on the team and doesn’t want to play and is giving the middle finger to the organization.

“He’s gone through a lot of s— in the last three years, and he’s got every right to be frustrated and disappointed about it. I think he’s done a good job of standing up and taking accountability this year when it’s been his part to do it.”

Unlike some of his gripes with the media in the past, Rodgers seemed to have a bigger issue with the source of the information. He said the Jets need to find out who spoke with The Athletic and “put a stop to it privately.”

“I think that if that’s journalism now, and whoever that person is that thinks it’s OK to talk to anybody like that … I don’t understand what you get out of that, number one. Number two, what is your motivation to try and bury someone like that?” Rodgers said. “That’s a problem with the organization. We need to get to the bottom of whatever this is coming from and put a stop to it privately. … I think it’s chicken s— at its core and I think it has no place in a winning organization.”

Rodgers also took aim at anonymous sources and said whoever shared information — whether it was true to not — with Russini and Rosenblatt should attach their name to it.

It is hardly a surprise that the Wilson report frustrated Rodgers. The 39-year-old has blasted the media on numerous occasions. He famously unloaded on one top NFL insider in a text message last year over a story that turned out to be accurate.