After demanding an apology for being right about Aaron Rodgers, Shannon Sharpe says that Jets fans owe Zach Wilson one, too.
The Rodgers apology was 11 years in the making. But when — or if — New York fans will offer their mea culpa to Wilson, arguably the biggest draft bust in franchise history, remains to be seen. First, though, they need to understand why they should be apologizing at all.
The Jets — and their fans — couldn’t get rid of Wilson fast enough. Though, they kept him on the roster once Aaron Rodgers was traded for, it was hard to envision he’d have to start more than a couple of games, if any. But the plan for Wilson to sit behind Rodgers quickly went out the door once Rodgers tore his Achilles just four snaps into life beyond the Green Bay Packers.
The Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, extending their drought to a staggering 14 seasons — the longest active streak in North American professional sports. Rodgers, who vowed to make an improbable return this year, grew testy when pressed about the team’s futility.
Sharpe, meanwhile, hasn’t wavered in his criticism of Rodgers. He wasted no time this season mocking the hype surrounding the four-time MVP’s arrival in New York, relishing the downfall of a player he’s often called “smug.” Sharpe has also drawn a consistent parallel: Rodgers is becoming the very thing he once despised — Brett Favre.
Rodgers also dislikes accountability, which Sharpe wants Jets fans to take themselves.
“I don’t know what [Aaron Rodgers] was thinking when he went there; they don’t care about that resume. They don’t, they really don’t,” said Sharpe on his Nightcap show. “All I know is that New York fans, y’all owe Zach Wilson an apology. Zach Wilson was 5-7 last year; Aaron Rodgers [is] 3-10. New York, you owe that man an apology. Y’all need to put y’all money together and take out an ad in The Post, Page Six, The New York Times, The Daily News — I don’t care…
“Whoever flew that plane over [MetLife Stadium] for the Giants, y’all need to fly one over for the Jets and say, ‘We want to apologize to you personally, Zach Wilson because it wasn’t you.'”
Whatever they’re apologizing for, Sharpe may as well chip in. While his Nightcap co-host Chad Johnson vehemently defended Wilson, Sharpe crushed him every chance he had. Last season, Sharpe told ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky that he was “out of his mind” for praising Wilson, mocked the young quarterback’s struggles, and implored him to do his “effing job.”
Sharpe even said that Wilson couldn’t play dead in a horror movie and was “like a blind dog in a meat house.”
“I mean the dude couldn’t play dead in a horror movie.”
“He’s like a blind dog in a meat house.”
– Shannon Sharpe on Zach Wilson
Ouch. pic.twitter.com/u5wVWX3XMu
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 18, 2023
He’s right about Zach Wilson not being the problem — at least not the only one. Wilson certainly wasn’t without his flaws, but the dysfunction around him consumed not only him but a Hall-of-Fame quarterback as well.
That said, an apology? It’s hard to argue why Jets fans should apologize and what they should apologize for.
Yes, Wilson was thrust into an impossible situation, but he isn’t an NFL quarterback. If he was, he would be better than third string on the Broncos’ depth chart behind Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham.
So while Jets fans figure out where to direct their blame — or their apologies — Sharpe might want to save a little of that for himself, too.
[Nightcap]
