New York Giants defensive end Jihad Ward did not like the way his interaction with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was portrayed on "Hard Knocks,"
saying his actions stemmed from disgust with an illegal block by Jets wide receiver Randall Cobb that left Giants safety Bobby McCain concussed, and the Jets' overall reaction to the situation.
"Hard Knocks" showed the Jets players laughing in the huddle after Rodgers called out Cobb for the blindside block.
"Everybody going to get pissed off at that. The whole team was pissed off, you know what I'm saying?" Ward said. "It's preseason and all that stuff and you're going to do some reaction like that?
"It's cool, though. That's how they roll. I think we play them soon, it is what it is."
This sets the stage for the crosstown rivalry to heat up once again. It hasn't been the same since Rex Ryan and the Jets tried to seize the city more than a decade ago.
The Giants and Jets meet again on Oct. 29 at MetLife Stadium. It's the team with all the preseason hype, the Jets,
playing against the team that made the playoffs last season but has somehow flown under the local radar this summer.
"They know what they did. I know what [Cobb] did, coaches know what he did, my teammates know what he did," Ward said. "I'm the only one sticking up for [McCain]."
McCain was in the concussion protocol this week.
Ward waited to speak until Wednesday afternoon after practice. Following Friday night's preseason game, he politely declined to get into specifics about his interactions with Rodgers.
He wanted to see what Rodgers said first. "I kind of bumped him, too. Wait for 'Hard Knocks,'" Rodgers said after the game. "Some good content."
Ward gave Rodgers a light push at the end of a play in the first quarter on the drive after the Cobb block.
The two could be seen chirping face-to-face. After Rodgers threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson on the very next play, the two had words once again.
Hard Knocks" on Tuesday night showed clips of Rodgers telling Ward that he didn't even know who he was. After Rodgers' touchdown pass they showed him yelling, among other things, Don't poke the bear!