Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently stirred controversy by publicly criticizing receiver Mike Williams for running the wrong route in a game against the Bills. Despite the tension, Williams initially chose to keep his response professional. But after making a stellar debut for the Steelers — with more yards and touchdowns on a single target than Davante Adams managed on 13 targets from Rodgers — Williams hinted at his feelings in an Instagram post.
Celebrating his first game with the Steelers, who traded for him last Tuesday, Williams used three hashtags: #WholeLotta, #WeBack, and #RedLine. The last hashtag was a pointed reference to Rodgers’ criticism about Williams not running along the “red line” — five yards from the sideline — which reportedly contributed to Rodgers’ lack of trust in him.
Rodgers is known for being cautious with receivers, often withholding trust until they prove themselves on the field. When speaking with Williams by phone after Pittsburgh’s thrilling 28-27 win over the Commanders, Williams explained how he quickly gained the confidence of his new quarterback, Russell Wilson.
“I worked on building that trust during practice this week. Any ball that came my way, I aimed to make a play on it, so Wilson would know he could rely on me,” Williams shared.
His efforts paid off. With the game on the line, Wilson threw a 32-yard pass to Williams, who only realized the ball was coming to him at the last second.
“I saw it at the last second, checked the sky, saw it was there, and made a play on it,” Williams said, describing the decisive catch that delivered the game-winning score.
Williams’ focus on trust and teamwork over completion stats paid off, as he made a game-changing impact for the Steelers. And as he settles into his role, it’s clear that if Williams does make a mistake in the future, Wilson is unlikely to call him out publicly — a sharp contrast to Rodgers’ approach.
