Did Aaron Rodgers really break the football G-code? Former Patriots star slams Steelers QB over Roman Wilson comments

Aaron Rodgers’ decision to discuss Roman Wilson’s mistake publicly has sparked a debate about an old NFL locker-room rule. Former Patriots star Asante Samuel believes the Steelers quarterback crossed that line by putting a teammate’s mistake in front of the media.His criticism came after Rodgers spoke about Wilson following a Sept. 2 practice, where a miscommunication on an underneath route ended with an interception. Former Patriots star Asante Samuel says Aaron Rodgers broke an unwritten NFL ruleAsante Samuel did not hold back when he discussed the situation on the recent episode of “Say What Needs To Be Said podcast” The former New England Patriots cornerback said Aaron Rodgers should have handled the issue privately rather than discussing Wilson’s mistake publicly.“Aaron Rodgers is out of pocket, man,” Samuel said on the podcast. “You never call out a teammate to the media. That’s an unwritten rule. That’s breaking the football G-code.”Samuel also said Wilson and Rodgers would need to talk about the situation if he were in Wilson’s position. His concern was not simply that Rodgers criticized a young receiver. It was that the quarterback made the mistake as part of the public conversation.Rodgers had described Wilson’s error as a “repeat mistake” after the Sept. 2 practice. The play ended with an interception by Steelers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., the son of the former Patriots star. Rodgers said Wilson had made the same mistake before, but he also made sure to praise the receiver.“Roman is a great kid,” Rodgers said after practice. “He’s had a fantastic camp. I have confidence in him.”That praise is significant because Rodgers did not frame Wilson as a lost cause. Instead, he treated the interception as a lesson during practice. Still, Samuel believes that kind of correction should stay inside the locker room. Mike Tomlin sees Aaron Rodgers’ criticism as a lesson, not a locker-room problemWhile Samuel saw a breach of football etiquette, former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin offered a much different view during an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show”.Tomlin defended Rodgers’ approach and said the quarterback was trying to hold Wilson accountable while still supporting his development.“He’s acknowledging that he is a young, developing player,” Tomlin said on the show. “He’s also educating him to the fact that as long as you’re having new issues, then progress is being made.”Tomlin also pointed to the difference between a new mistake and a repeated one. In his view, Rodgers had every reason to demand better execution from a receiver who needs to earn the quarterback’s trust.That puts Wilson in an interesting spot heading into the regular season. The Steelers open against the Atlanta Falcons on September 13, and Wilson now has a chance to answer the criticism on the field.For Rodgers, the issue goes beyond one preseason mistake. He wants his receivers to be precise, especially in a Steelers offense that needs consistency from its passing game. For Samuel, however, the bigger question remains whether a quarterback should ever expose a teammate’s mistake publicly.That is why the “football G-code” debate is not going away anytime soon.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.