Aaron Rodgers’s nickname for MetLife Stadium is not exactly working for one New York Giants player.
The New York Jets quarterback referred to the stadium as “Jet Life Stadium” during the recent preseason game between the Jets and Giants, who share the venue during the regular season. That made its way back to Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who had his own response.
“That’s what he called it? Jet Life Stadium?” Shepard said Wednesday, via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “I guess, if that’s how he’s feeling. If that’s how he feels then that’s cool. I don’t feel that way. Obviously. I mean, everybody is gonna pull for their squad, obviously. I feel like when we step on the turf that’s our home, we want to protect it. That’s what our job entails is to protect our home stadium.”
This is not exactly similar to one stadium nickname that popped up last season. The Giants call MetLife home, but so do the Jets, so it’s not even that disrespectful from Rodgers. The quarterback won’t care anyway, as he’s been comfortable rubbing people the wrong way throughout the preseason.
The Giants and Jets do face off at MetLife in Week 8. The Giants are technically the home team, so they will be protecting their turf, in Shepard’s words.
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