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Mike Williams caught the game-winning touchdown pass during Sunday’s 28-27 win over the Washington Commanders, his first game with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After the contest, he dropped an Instagram post with, “Thankful 🤟🏾🐍 #WholeLotta #WeBack #RedLine” in the caption.
That was seemingly a direct shot at Williams’ former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, who threw him under the bus for running the wrong route adjustment on a game-sealing interception during an October loss to the Buffalo Bills.
“There’s two verticals, Allen (Lazard)’s down the seam, and Mike’s down the red line,” Rodgers told reporters after the game. “So, I’m throwing a no-look to the red line. When I peak my eyes back there Mike’s running an in-breaker… it’s gotta be down the red line.”
Rodgers later addressed his comments during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show after the Jets acquired Davante Adams, saying he also held himself publicly accountable and noted that, “When I’ve made mistakes, ‘I’ve got to play better, make that throw,’ that’s the standard for everyone.”
“Mike needed to get to the red line, which would’ve been a big gain, so I wasn’t calling Mike out for anything other than his responsibility in the details of that play,” he continued. “I have a lot of love and respect for Mike; he’s done some nice things for us, but in that play, he wasn’t in the right spot. You can make more of that if you want to, but we should all be held to a standard. I hold myself to a standard of greatness, and it hasn’t been there at certain times.”
That standard of greatness has resulted in a 3-7 record for the Jets this season.
As for Williams, his only contribution to the Steelers after being acquired in a trade with the Jets was Sunday’s touchdown reception. It was a pretty huge contribution, however, moving the Steelers to 7-2 on the season and keeping them atop the AFC North ahead of the looming Baltimore Ravens (7-3).
The two teams will face each other on Sunday in a crucial divisional showdown.
“It was a big-time catch by Mike,” Pittsburgh quarterback Russell Wilson told reporters after the game. “I just tried to give him a chance, you know, and let him do his thing. The guy had 1,000-yard seasons over his career. A guy whose made plays, a guy who’s faced adversity. You love it when guys face adversity and they come through on the other end of it.”
The Steelers seem happy to have Williams. And while he appears to be enjoying his change in scenery, he certainly hasn’t forgotten the criticisms of his former teammate.
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