Jets’ Rodgers says Giants’ Ward was making things up when discussing their on-field exchange

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers added a little juice to the New York Jets’ regular-season showdown with the Giants in October.

The Jets quarterback responded Thursday to comments made by Giants linebacker Jihad Ward, who said Wednesday that Rodgers and his teammates were laughing after wide receiver Randall Cobb hit safety Bobby McCain with an illegal blindside block in the teams’ preseason game last Saturday. McCain suffered a concussion.

“He thought we were laughing at his teammate?” Rodgers asked. “That never happened and I think he’s making (stuff) up. I don’t care.”

 

The play was shown on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” on Tuesday night, with Rodgers kidding with Cobb about the hit and saying he would be fined by the NFL. Also shown was Ward giving Rodgers a late shove after a pass, and the two yelling at each other — with Rodgers, who was wearing a microphone, saying: “I don’t even know who you are, bro.”

Ward said Wednesday his shove of Rodgers was in retaliation for how the Jets reacted to McCain’s injury. He also wasn’t happy about how he was portrayed in the segment on “Hard Knocks.”

“It’s all about Aaron Rodgers at the (end) of the day,” Ward said. “They sign him, it is what it is. They’re going to show his part and make me look like a sucker. But I ain’t going for that.”

The teams play at MetLife Stadium — a Giants home game — on Oct. 29.