Tim Heitman/Getty Images

Stephen A. Smith Called Out Mike Greenberg This Morning

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Dec 31, 2024 5:49 PM ET

Mike Greenberg ended 2024 by lamenting his beloved New York Jets. Stephen A. Smith wanted a more specific rant from his ESPN colleague.

On Tuesday's Get Up, Greenberg honored New Year's Eve by ranking the five NFL teams that dropped the ball this season. The Jets fan unsurprisingly gave his favorite team the dubious No. 1 distinction, far from a biased choice considering they're 4-12 after beginning the season with playoff aspirations.

Greenberg criticized owner Woody Johnson and called firing head coach Robert Saleh "one of the worst decisions that any team has made in recent memory."

"The New York Jets of 2024 are gonna have to live with the fact that they are one of the great failures in recent sports memory," Greenberg said. "From top to bottom."

However, Greenberg must have broken an ESPN rule by not mentioning Aaron Rodgers. Smith, a vocal critic of the four-time MVP, playfully chastised his coworker for not calling out the quarterback during the segment.

"Shocking! Never thought in my wildest dreams I’d accuse the one-and-only @Espngreeny for being SLICK just now on @GetUpESPN," Smith wrote on social media. "He cannot have the @nyjets No.1 on your list and NOT mention @AaronRodgers12. Come on, Greeny! But I love ya, Buddy. Happy New Year to you and the whole crew."

Following Greenberg's spiel, Tim Hasselbeck called it "a little surprising" that the host didn't name-drop Aaron Rodgers. Greenberg replied to Smith with the same retort he gave Hasselbeck.

"When things go this badly - there's more than enough blame to go around!" Greenberg wrote.

Debate shows such as First Take typically attribute a team's success or failure directly to the quarterback. Rodgers hasn't played up to his usual standards, registering 6.6 yards per attempt with 24 passing touchdowns, 10 picks, and an 89.1 quarterback rating.

The future Hall of Famer hasn't carried the Jets out of the cellar, but he's far from their only problem. New York ranks 31st in rushing, and a typically elite defense has just 13 takeaways in 16 games.

Greenberg didn't even discuss the Jets for a full minute in the segment that irked Smith, and he didn't single out any players. Smith may disagree, but every NFL conversation mustn't always revolve around Rodgers.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: