Former Jets QB has brutally honest take on Aaron Rodgers

Dec 10, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) on the field after the game against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Add former New York Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason to the growing list of Aaron Rodgers’ critics.

Esiason appeared on his “Boomer and Gio” show on Monday and shared his sentiments on Rodgers’ arduous tenure with the Jets. According to the 63-year-old, Rodgers’ outsized influence appears to have done more harm than good toward the Jets organization.

“I hate to say, it’s like Aaron Rodgers has completely sucked the air out of the building,” Esiason said. “And I think so many guys are deferring to who he is in their minds. In their minds, and in my mind, he is a first-ballot Hall-of-Fame player, one of the great quarterbacks, when he was in his prime, that we have ever seen. … But since he has come here over the last two years, every player on this team, I feel like, has deferred everything to him.”

Esiason pointed to former Jets wide receiver Mike Williams as an example. The Jets traded Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers not long after Rodgers publicly criticized the veteran wideout. Esiason noted how Williams showed up to Pittsburgh with “such a big smile” and “was so happy like he was so unencumbered” after leaving Rodgers and the Jets behind.

In his first game with the Steelers on Sunday, Williams caught the game-winning touchdown for his new squad. He later seemingly threw shade at Rodgers on social media.