A former New York Jets star has taken a shot at quarterback Aaron Rodgers after leaving the team and finding success elsewhere this season.
Wide receiver Mike Williams had a short tenure with the Jets – punctuated by a mistake he made in a game against the Buffalo Bills back in Week 6.
Rodgers appeared to throw Williams under the bus for the error and the receiver was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers weeks later.
This past Sunday, Williams caught a game-winning touchdown in an upset of the Washington Commanders. He took to social media to celebrate, posting images from the game on Instagram with the hashtag #RedLine.
That directly references Rodgers’ post-game criticism from that Week 6 defeat, where the quarterback said, ‘There’s two verticals, Allen [Lazard]’s down the seam, and Mike’s down the red line. So I’m throwing a no look to the red line. When I peak my eyes back there Mike’s running an “in-breaker”… it’s gotta be down the red line.’
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was on the receiving end of a swipe from an ex-teammate
Mike Williams referenced criticism he received from Rodgers in an Instagram post after a win
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In the dying moments of that Bills-Jets game, Williams ran an incorrect route and slipped on the turf – leading to Rodgers throwing a costly interception that ended up sealing a win for Buffalo.
On an episode of The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers highlighted Williams’ mistake as one of the reasons why the Jets lost.
‘I think if you watch my press conferences, I start with myself when I make mistakes. “I’ve got to play better. I can’t make that throw. I can’t make that decision.” That’s the standard for everybody,’ the veteran said when asked about the play.
‘There were a lot of mistakes throughout the night but if you’re looking just at that play – and that’s what the question was – well it was two verticals to the right side and Mike needed to get right to the red line, which would have been a big gain.
‘So I wasn’t calling Mike out for anything but his responsibility and details on that play. I have a lot of love and respect for Mike. On that play, he wasn’t in the right spot. We should all be held to a standard.
‘I hold myself to a standard of greatness and when it hasn’t been there, which it hasn’t at certain times, I’ve stood up there and said I’ve got to play better. Hopefully that’s an example for everyone else.’
Williams was moved to the Steelers at the NFL Trade Deadline last Tuesday in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick.
Williams ran a wrong route and slipped, leading to a game-losing interception from Rodgers
But on Sunday, with his new team, Williams made his first catch as a Steeler for a touchdown
He played in the game five days later and made his first reception with Pittsburgh count in a big way.
With 2:27 remaining in the game, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson lofted up a pass for Williams that he caught in stride as he fell into the end zone to take a 28-27 lead and the eventual victory.
Williams will continue to hope to make an impact with his new team next week, as Pittsburgh hosts the division rival Baltimore Ravens.
