Aaron Rodgers: Davante Adams Gave the ‘Realest Speech’ After Jets’ Loss to Steelers

Doric SamOctober 23, 2024

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams hasn’t been with the team very long, but he still spoke up after the team’s 37-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers this past Sunday night.

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he was impressed with Adams’ words, calling it “the realest speech I’d ever heard in a locker room in 20 years.”

Jets Videos @snyjetsDavante Adams spoke to the Jets in the locker room after their loss to the Steelers

Aaron Rodgers says it is the “realest speech” he’s ever heard in his 20 years in the NFL pic.twitter.com/0uLfkYkNx3

Adams had only been with the team for five days after being acquired in a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, and Rodgers said he “led with that.” Rodgers said the moment was “not surprising at all” because he knows Adams’ character and it was such a powerful message that “everybody that was in that locker room felt it.”

The 31-year-old was limited to three catches for 30 yards in his debut with the Jets against the Steelers. The team held a 15-6 lead before collapsing and suffering its fourth straight loss to fall to 2-5.

Acquiring Adams was one of the drastic moves that the Jets were hoping would turn things around. Team owner Woody Johnson fired head coach Robert Saleh five games into the season and replaced him with interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.

Still, Rodgers and the rest of the team are trying to stay positive as they enter a Week 8 matchup against the 1-6 New England Patriots, who they defeated 24-3 in Week 3. Rodgers is certainly hoping that Adams’ speech resonates with the team and helps New York get back on track.

“I drove home with him after the game and just told him how proud I am of what he said in that moment,” Rodgers said.