Bob Raissman: Aaron Rodgers’ rehab talk helps keep the spotlight off Zach Wilson
NEW YORK — The unforgiving spotlight Zach Wilson should be working under has been dimmed by the mere presence of Aaron Rodgers.
Although his final destination this season is unknown, it is the veteran quarterback the media follows along his road to recovery that lately has been portrayed more like life in the fast lane.
This is a good thing for the Jets and Wilson. The media’s obsession with Rodgers’ journey back to football provides cover for the often-maligned young quarterback and — believe it or not — less scrutiny. Instead of over analyzing Wilson’s performance, the media has been drawn into Rodgers’ reality show, “How Fast Can I Recover?”
Now, it’s also the biggest guessing game in town.
The four-time NFL MVP is the tail wagging the multi-billion-dollar Jets organization as well as the football media. Once the Jets sealed a 20-14 win over Philadelphia in the Meadowlands last Sunday, boss scribes didn’t exactly linger over the victory or Wilson‘s performance.
They were too busy digesting and dissecting the video of Rodgers on the field throwing the football before the game. Is this what salvation looks like? This had to mean his rehab was ahead of schedule, right? It had to be a good thing?
Highlight packages of Philly-Jets were introduced with video of Rodgers throwing. Jets coach Robert Saleh only magnified the Sunday hype when he referred to Rodgers as a “freakazoid.” On his regular paid Tuesday appearance on ESPN’s “Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers revealed he relied on Saleh to reassure him it was the right thing to travel to New Jersey to be on the sidelines for the Eagles tilt.
Rodgers said Saleh told him: “… Need you out here, buddy.” Did Saleh know Rodgers would be able to throw so effortlessly? It worked. In the aftermath of a (highly orchestrated?) moment, indicating Rodgers was ahead of the typical rehab schedule, orthopedic surgeons (some on the record, some off) were called on for their expert opinions.
Gasbags turned into doctors, opining on whether Rodgers would make it back this season. WFAN’s Brandon Tierney, who has undergone a few surgeries caused by sports related injuries contended that Rodgers has a “partially torn” Achilles. “No way in hell that it’s a complete rupture,” was doctor Tierney’s on-air diagnosis.
Bring it all on. Theories. Real doctors. Pretend doctors. Rogers provides material for all. And can still manage to “block” for Wilson. Very impressive.
Brady the broadcaster
Those concerned whether Tom Brady is going forward with his intention of joining Fox’s No. 1 NFL broadcast team next season might have been tossed a clue by the former quarterback during his regular appearance on SiriusXM’s “Let’s Go!”
Jim Gray asked Brady if while watching a game on TV, is he zoning in on the quarterback play? “No, I’m taking it all in,” Brady said. “I’m trying to listen to a little bit from a broadcaster standpoint and how they are calling the game, you know, paying more attention to the broadcasting element of it …”
Sounds serious.
NBA boss gets 'First' pass
Although he usually represents himself as fearless, we figured Stephen A. Smith would not ask NBA boss Adam Silver, during a Wednesday “First Take” interview, what he thought of ESPN’s decision to jettison Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy from the network’s No. 1 NBA team after their nearly two decades working with Mike Breen.
Nonetheless, SAS had Christopher (Mad Dog) Russo waiting in the bullpen. Dog was not a part of the Silver interview. Yet he could’ve been brought in to pop the question.
Especially when Russo, on SXM, had already accused Silver and the league office of having input into the dismissals. Russo said Silver didn’t like the analysts’ criticisms, especially JVG’s penchant for chastising refs.
Guess with sensitive NBA TV negotiations underway and a relationship to maintain, “First Take” operatives didn’t want to sic Doggie on Silver.
‘Show’ ends for boxing
The same predicament that sunk HBO Sports’ boxing franchise after 45 years in the business, caught up with Showtime, which exited the fistic arena last week after a 37-year run.
Both premium cable outlets will forever be linked in boxing history as the biggest distributing and marketing engines driving the fight-machine.
Yet what most promoters and managers never understood was the two channels needed premium fighters in competitive matchups for the long-term health of the sport.
Instead, promoters and managers concentrated on bringing their fighters to pay-per-view. Not only did they short-circuit the fighters marketing and exposure but prevented signature world class matchups from appearing live on both HBO and Showtime.
