EXCLUSIVE
Contrary to negative perception, All-Pro New York Jet says Aaron Rodgers is ‘people person’ loved by his teammates
The outside perception is that Aaron Rodgers interfered too much with the New York Jets during a lost season.
Quincy Williams was on the inside and the All-Pro linebacker saw it a completely different way.
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Williams praised Rodgers on Friday during an exclusive interview with talkSPORT.
The former third-round draft pick, who is coming off a career year despite the Jets' 'roller coaster' season, said that Rodgers made a huge impact on him in year one and he expects the four-time NFL MVP to be even more impactful in 2024.
"The biggest thing with Aaron is he's a people person. He's like a coach and a player," Williams said at the talkSPORT studio, while in London to promote the expansion of the NFL's Girls Flag league.
After being released by Jacksonville, Williams fought through injuries to find a new home with New York.
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The last thing that Williams expected when Rodgers joined the Jets -- following months of trade rumors and a controversial ending to his storied run in Green Bay -- was for one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history to offer free career advice.
But Rodgers did just that, taking Williams aside and going out of his way to try and help the former Murray State standout raise his game in the pros.
"The craziest thing, when he first came in, he didn't know me (personally) at all," Williams said. "The first thing he did, he came to me and had a conversation with me and he was like, 'Bro, you can put it all together.'
"And I was like, 'Yeah, I've just got to do this and I've just got to do that.' And he was, 'Honestly, I didn't say that.' You've just got to keep going."
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American linebacker Quincy Williams joins talkSPORT and reflects on his NFL season with the New York Jets
It soon became clear how much Rodgers studies the league and its players, despite being 40 years old and approaching his 20th year in the league.
Williams' warm feelings about Rodgers also counter the national perception that No. 8 was a distraction in 2023 and all about himself.
"He be having conversations with anybody," Williams said. "I've seen him just throwing balls and stuff like that. And then all of a sudden he'll stop in the middle of practice and come over to the defense and be like, 'Hey, guys, this is what I'm seeing. Just watch this right here, because other quarterbacks can pick up on it.'
"I feel like that's what also made us (the defense) dominant this year. It was taking constructive criticism from someone that watched film and went against us, and he wasn't scared to actually say it."
Rodgers recently said that he hopes to play four more years, approaching Tom Brady territory at 45.
Williams fully believes Rodgers can do that.
The All-Pro Jet also clearly believes that with a healthy Rodgers, New York can turn a frustrating 7-10 record into the Super Bowl contender the Jets were supposed to be with No. 8 at QB.
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"That's still the goal," Williams said. "Every single day, the focus is on going 1-0. That starts now for us, just free agency and the draft, and just winning that. Let the people upstairs handle that.
"Then when OTAs come, that's when players and things like that take over. We want to have like a player-led organization, because the teams who go far, you don't have to wait until a coach comes in to be like, 'Hey, we need to do this.' When Aaron came in, that's more like what we had."
The Jets haven't won a playoff game since 2010.
With a highly motivated Rodgers at QB and a top-three defense led by fiery head coach Robert Saleh, New York could battle Buffalo and Miami for the AFC East title in 2024.
Williams enjoyed a breakout year in '23, overcoming his team's roller coaster campaign to earn a first-team All-Pro selection.
He played in all 17 games, recording 139 combined tackles, 15 tackles for loss, two sacks, 10 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a recovery.
The Jets stuck together internally more than they were given credit for on the outside.
If Rogers rebounds, New York could soar with a future Hall of Fame QB.
"I'm excited about next season," Williams said.
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Rodgers could have a big career decision to make.
The veteran QB has been linked to speculation that he could be named as the United States vice presidential running mate of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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