When Randall Cobb signed with the New York Jets, he probably didn’t think his buddy and longtime teammate Aaron Rodgers would only play four snaps. Neither did anyone else. And while Cobb didn’t sign up for the Zach Wilson experience, he got a front-row seat to playing out what could be his final season in the NFL with one of the most embattled quarterbacks in recent league history.
Appearing on Barstool Sports’ Bussin’ with the Boys, Cobb was asked about Wilson now that he’s no longer with the Jets and a member of the Denver Broncos. Will Compton asked Cobb if the drama with Wilson was as dramatic as it seemed to play out.
Cobb pushed back on that idea immediately.
“I think in the media, it was more dramatic than it actually was,” Cobb said. “I think that they had told him that they were gonna trade him in the offseason, and then they benched him, and then they wanted him to play again. And then they tried to blame him for not wanting to play, but you just told him that you were gonna trade him. It was a lot of politics, a lot of stuff in the media, it was a lot of like, ‘Come on, man, like what are we doing here?’ A lot of meeting with the media, feeding them stuff.”
Despite Compton not pressing further, it’s quite notable that a seasoned veteran like Cobb would openly criticize the Jets for potentially feeding information to the media. This wouldn’t be the first time such accusations have been leveled against the organization. In fact, a critical exposé by The Athletic even reported on head coach Robert Saleh’s attempt to curb leaks by threatening to confiscate coaches’ phones.
Of course, we all remember Rodgers’ outburst about “bulls**t that has nothing to do with winning” not belonging at One Jets Drive. And even though it unintentionally made him look like the team’s biggest distraction at the time, it highlights a recurring issue for the Jets—leaks to the media.
Cobb indirectly referenced Dianna Russini’s reporting, in which The Athletic’s senior NFL reporter drew the ire of New York Jets fans—as well as Rodgers—for reporting that Wilson was reluctant to reenter the team’s starting lineup.
And while Cobb never mentioned Russini nor her reporting by name, the timing and context make the connection to the drama that unfolded pretty clear. His words paint a damning picture of the Jets throwing Wilson under the bus. They seemingly used the media to deflect blame for their own mismanagement, leaving the young quarterback to shoulder the brunt of the criticism.
Cobb’s one season with the Jets offered a front-row seat to their well-documented dysfunction. While he didn’t necessarily reveal earth-shattering details, it was refreshing to see a veteran like him call out the team’s media manipulation.
The Jets, particularly with their handling of Wilson, found themselves embroiled in a never-ending media circus, and Cobb wasn’t shy about questioning their tactics.
