Stephen A. Smith turns on Jets QB Aaron Rodgers and tells him to retire

Stephen A. Smith's affinity for Aaron Rodgers has been tested by the New York Jets' 2-5 start. But it was Sunday night's 37-15 nonaccomplishment to the Pittsburgh Steelers that whitethorn person yet brought the ESPN host's unflinching enactment to travel to an end.

'This affects me,' Smith began slowly, arsenic if helium planned to usage First Take's full two-hour clip slot connected the subject. 'This hurts maine to say. I person to accidental I've thought astir it precise deeply, and I got to archer ya, everybody knows however I consciousness astir Aaron Rodgers.

'He has looked truthful bad, I've really looked astatine the surface and recovered myself saying, 'It mightiness beryllium clip for him to truly retire,' Smith said, similar a justice passing down a beingness sentence.

Smith's appraisal of Rodgers was evident to anyone with entree to Jets container scores. He's thrown six interceptions successful his past 3 games, the Jets haven't won since Week 3, and the four-time MVP has been sacked a whopping 17 times connected the season.

Then there's the movie of the losses, which has someway been adjacent worse than the container scores.

'I'm not utilized to seeing this Aaron Rodgers,' Smith said. 'I mean, six interceptions implicit the past 3 games, nary enactment whatsoever, everything seems to beryllium up successful the aerial and a spot awry and off-kilter.'

Smith besides took contented with a post-game remark from Rodgers, who was asked however helium tin support his teammates believing they tin win.

'Stop listening to you guys, fig one,' Rodgers said, reverting backmost to his 2021 and 2022 form, erstwhile helium had a much contentious narration with reporters.

Although Smith has been speedy to support Rodgers successful the past, helium drew a enactment erstwhile Rodgers snapped astatine reporters Sunday.

'No absorption whatsoever,' Smith continued, 'shows up to the property league and points to the media similar we were the ones connected the tract dropping his passes oregon throwing interceptions similar helium was throwing interceptions oregon whatever.'

The Jets person already fired their caput coach, Robert Saleh, replaced him with interim Jeff Ulbrich and demoted violative coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, whose play-calling duties person been handed to quarterbacks manager Todd Downing.

What's more, they've acquired Rodgers' favourite target, wide receiver and erstwhile Packers prima Davante Adams, from the Raiders.

The lone alteration near to make, it would seem, is astatine quarterback.

'I retrieve connected respective occasions passim the years, fellas, covering hoops we've seen players connected the hoops tribunal and it was similar 'Yo, immoderate they erstwhile were, is over,' Smith said.

'And I'm hesitant to accidental that astir Aaron Rodgers due to the fact that I've seen him propulsion pinpoint passes, but I've besides seen an alarming level of inconsistency. I've seen the Jets bereft of leadership.'

Smith went connected to enactment Rodgers' sanction successful a class with Dan Marino's, Tom Brady's and Peyton Manning's, but was speedy explicate the Super Bowl champion is nary longer an elite passer.

'And what I'm seeing of him present is simply a ammunition of that person,' Smith said. 'And I hatred it. It looks very, precise bad. But helium ain't the atrocious antheral I cognize him to be. This twelvemonth he's conscionable been bad.'