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Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer
No player on the New York Jets has been around Aaron Rodgers longer than wide receiver Randall Cobb — a total of 10 seasons in Green Bay, to be exact. So when Cobb says something about the star quarterback, it pays to listen and take notes.
In Episode 3 of “Hard Knocks,” which aired Tuesday night on HBO, Cobb took his fellow receivers inside the mind of Rodgers. He warned them Rodgers would snap if their play doesn’t improve.
“I was just talking to 12 — or 8 — and he was telling me we had a lot of mistakes in our room today,” Cobb told them after a practice last week, mistakenly first using Rodgers’ old Green Bay Packers‘ number. “Just basic stuff. Little things, right? Like, we can’t have that.
“It’s all cool right now, but I’m telling you, one day he’s going to lose his s—. It’s going to happen if it continues to go the way it’s going right now. If he don’t trust you, he’s not going to throw you the ball, I can promise you that. … He does not like throwing interceptions. If he can’t trust you’re going to run the right route, he’s not going to throw it.”
Rodgers must have gotten wind of Cobb’s directive because, during a news conference earlier in the day, he issued a preemptive rebuttal.
“Cobby said some things about how you got to watch out because you know 8’s going to snap at some point,” Rodgers said. “I don’t feel like I’m the snapping type anymore. I mean, I’m going to raise my level of intensity, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to embarrass anybody.”
This was the most interesting football-related topic to come out of Episode 3. Other takeaways:
Best scene
Remember that horrible rookie show in Episode 2? Well, the rookies got a mulligan, and one of them — Jerome Kapp, an undrafted wide receiver from Kutztown — delivered big-time.
Kapp performed Eminem’s final rap from the movie “8 Mile.” It wasn’t flawless — there were a few hiccups — but he gets major props for memorizing all the lyrics. He was a big hit, based on the uproarious response by his teammates.
.@JeromeKapp85 brought the house down 😂 pic.twitter.com/QiseK3FSqK
— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 23, 2023
Eat your heart out (again), Papa Doc.
Ice Man
Owner Woody Johnson, wearing an iced-out chain that looked like something out of Sauce Gardner‘s jewelry collection, gave a pre-practice pep talk to the team before its joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Instead of “Sauce,” Johnson’s chain said “Woody.”
Johnson, who rarely speaks at team meetings, told the players he was inspired by them. The speech provided some insight into his huge expectations for the season.
“I’ve been doing this for a number of years, and when I see this August, and when I see this team coming together, and the pieces we’ve added and the development I’ve seen so far, it’s absolutely incredible,” he said. “We’ve got to take advantage. This doesn’t happen every day.”
He then encouraged them to have a good practice.
Missing storyline
“Hard Knocks” loves practice scuffles, and you saw all of them in the Jets’ ultra-chippy practice against the Bucs. But they didn’t show cornerbacks coach Tony Oden, who was injured during one of the altercations and was taken to the hospital. It would’ve been nice to see how that went down. Oden, in an interview with reporters the next day, didn’t provide many details.
Q rating
Once again, star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams got a lot of “Hard Knocks” love. His infectious sense of humor was on display, especially during the Bucs practice.
At one point, Williams said to a Tampa Bay lineman, “Come on, man. I’m him.”
Teacher-pupil
They continued to hammer the Rodgers-Zach Wilson storyline. This time, Rodgers razzed Wilson about his 35-yard run in last Saturday night’s preseason game against the Bucs.
“What’s he doing?” a mic’d-up Rodgers said on the sideline. “Go out of bounds.”
Cutest scene
How could you not love the scene where Cobb and his wife, Aiyda, broke the news to their two young children that the “Cobb Mob” soon would have an additional member? Aiyda is pregnant with the couple’s third child.
happy birthday @rcobb18!!
very nice of you to share your present with the rest of the Cobb Mob 🥺💚 pic.twitter.com/PmKKVJHaNt
— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 22, 2023
Featured backs
This was a big week for the running backs. They showed Dalvin Cook signing his contract and Breece Hall doing knee rehab and breaking long runs in practice. Rookie Israel Abanikanda and his family, who live in Brooklyn, also were featured. They attended his first home game, celebrated his good plays and showed concern when he injured his leg and had to be helped off the field.
Teasing the finale
Even before kickoff against the Bucs, coach Robert Saleh was telling some of his star players about his plans for the final preseason game.
“We’re starting everybody, including the big man,” Saleh told Williams, who knew (correctly) that he meant Rodgers.
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