Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff Writer Aug 30, 2023, 06: 44 PM ET
- Jordan Raanan is a press reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Raanan covers the New York Giants. You can follow him through Twitter @JordanRaanan.
New York Giants protective end Jihad Ward did not like the method his interaction with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was depicted on “Hard Knocks,” stating his actions came from disgust with a prohibited block by Jets pass receiver Randall Cobb that left Giants security Bobby McCain concussed, and the Jets’ general response to the scenario.
” Hard Knocks” revealed the Jets gamers chuckling in the huddle after Rodgers called out Cobb for the blindside block.
” Everybody going to get pissed off at that. The entire group was pissed off, you understand what I’m stating?” Ward stated. “It’s preseason and all that things and you’re going to do some response like that?
” It’s cool. That’s how they roll. I believe we play them quickly, it is what it is.”
This sets the phase for the crosstown competition to warm up as soon as again. It hasn’t been the very same considering that Rex Ryan and the Jets attempted to take the city more than a years earlier.
The Giants and Jets reunite on Oct. 29 at MetLife Stadium. It’s the group with all the preseason buzz, the Jets, betting the group that made the playoffs last season however has actually in some way flown under the regional radar this summer season.
” They understand what they did. I understand what [Cobb] did, coaches understand what he did, my colleagues understand what he did,” Ward stated. “I’m the just one sticking up for [McCain]”
McCain remained in the concussion procedure today.
Ward waited to speak up until Wednesday afternoon after practice. Following Friday night’s preseason video game, he nicely decreased to enter into specifics about his interactions with Rodgers.
He desired to see what Rodgers stated.
” I sort of bumped him, too. Await ‘Hard Knocks,'” Rodgers stated after the video game. “Some great material.”
Ward provided Rodgers a light push at the end of a play in the very first quarter on the drive after the Cobb block. The 2 might be seen chirping in person. After Rodgers tossed a 14- lawn goal pass to Garrett Wilson on the really next play, the 2 had words as soon as again.
” Hard Knocks” on Tuesday night revealed clips of Rodgers informing Ward that he didn’t even understand who he was. After Rodgers’ goal pass they revealed him screaming, to name a few things, “Don’t poke the bear!”
Ward is entering his 8th expert season and played considerable snaps last season when the Giants beat Rodgers and his previous group, the Green Bay Packers, in London. He didn’t appear to value the method the scene was cut for the television program.
” See, the important things is, they’re going to amuse. They’re going to reveal his part– HBO, whatever things is going on, ‘Hard Knocks.’ They’re going to reveal his part. They weren’t even in the entire circumstance of what actually decreased. They’re going to reveal his side of the story. … It’s everything about Aaron Rodgers at the [end] of the day. They sign him, it is what it is. They’re going to reveal his part and make me appear like a sucker. I ain’t going for that.”
What’s Ward’s side of the story?
” My side of the story is I’m not going to let none of my colleagues be pulled back like that,” he stated. “I’m going to ride for my colleagues.”
Rodgers was seen on “Hard Knocks” getting on Cobb for the prohibited block, which sent out McClain flying and made the Jets a 15- lawn charge. He instantly understood it wasn’t great.
” I could not think it. I’ve been around Randall Cobb permanently. We discuss clever gamers and doing wise things on the field. I do not understand what remained in that. I was enjoying that in sluggish movement going, ‘No, no, no Cobby, what are you doing?'” Rodgers stated after the video game. “We were chuckling since that wasn’t a charge when we began playing. It has actually been a charge for a while. Not the most intelligent play.
” I stated, ‘Bro, you’ve got a 3rd kid en route. You simply took cash out of your pocket. You’re going to need to purchase [your better half] Aiyda something great for that.'”
Cobb’s better half Aiyda was revealed on “Hard Knocks” informing her 2 kids that daddy was most likely to get fined for his actions on the play. It’s anticipated that Cobb discovers later on in the week the quantity of the fine.
