To say that Rodney Harrison is not a believer in Zach Wilson would be an understatement, but many felt the longtime NBC analyst took his criticism of the New York Jets quarterback a bit too far on Sunday night.
Prior to kickoff of the “Sunday Night Football” game between the Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, Harrison shared a concerning report about Wilson. The former Pro Bowl safety said during NBC’s pregame show that Wilson was missing wide-open receivers during 7-on-7 drills with no offensive line.
Wilson then went out and played one of the better games of his career. He finished 28/39 for 245 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions, though he did lose a fumble. The Jets came up just short in a 23-20 loss. The final score would have been a bit more lopsided if not for a heady play where Patrick Mahomes went down inside the 5-yard line so the Chiefs could kneel out the remainder of the clock.
After the game, Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones joined the “Sunday Night Football” crew for an on-field interview. Harrison asked Jones if Wilson was better than what the Chiefs anticipated based on watching film. Harrison told Jones he can “be honest.” Jones responded by complimenting the way Wilson has continued to improve and become a better leader. Harrison was having none of it.
“But watching that tape, man, you’ve gotta look at this dude and say, ‘Aw, he is garbage. We should really tear him apart,'” Harrison said.
Jones then called Wilson “special,” which Harrison found downright offensive. You can see the full exchange below:
Rodney Harrison tried to bait Chris Jones into saying something bad about Zach Wilson
Chris Jones instead used the opportunity to praise Zach Wilson for his performance tonight.
Respect to Chris Jones.
(@stefanskifan)
pic.twitter.com/bwhhGFS88X— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 2, 2023
Harrison was basically begging Jones to trash Wilson, and the Chiefs star did not take the bait. Between that interview and the report Harrison shared before the game, some thought Harrison was piling on and sounded unprofessional.
Wilson had completed just 52.4 percent of his passes, thrown four interceptions, and failed to pass for more than 170 yards in a game prior to Sunday night. There is a reason why one franchise legend wants him gone. Harrison is far from the only one who has no respect for Wilson’s game. We can only imagine what Rodney would have said if Wilson struggled.
