Rodney Harrison took Peacock’s postgame interview with Chris Jones in a strange direction.
The former safety, who joined the “Football Night in America” broadcast in 2009 after retiring, wanted the Chiefs’ star defensive tackle to criticize Zach Wilson after Kansas City’s 23-20 victory Sunday, but Jones resisted Harrison’s attempts to diss Wilson and instead praised him for being “special” and someone who just needs time.
NBC’s interview sequence started with Harrison asking Jones if Wilson — who completed 28-of-39 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns — was better than his film would’ve suggested, adding that Jones “can be honest” with the broadcast crew.
“Honestly, if I’m being completely honest, we knew it was gonna be a battle,” Jones said. “He’s continuing to get better week in and week out, and he’s continuing to lead week in and week out.”
Harrison kept pushing Jones, though, and said that “watching that tape, man, you gotta look at this dude and say, ‘Oh, he is garbage.’ Like we should really tear him apart.”
But Jones countered by calling Wilson a special player.
While the Jets still lost for the third consecutive week, and remained in last place in the AFC East, Wilson compiled one of the best games of his three-year career.
He made crisp, sharp throws, and he helped the Jets nearly erase an early 17-point comeback until a costly fumble midway through the fourth quarter.
And postgame, Wilson took responsibility for the fumble and needed to be consoled by teammates including Thomas Morstead, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb on the sideline.
Wilson also addressed players in the locker room postgame following Robert Saleh, Lazard told reporters.
But Harrison still tried to get his point across with Jones, even if the 29-year-old wasn’t agreeing.
“Wait, wait, wait, wait, do you say Zach Wilson is special?” Harrison asked.
Jones, whose preseason holdout led to a new one-year deal but forced him to miss Week 1, responded that yes, he did mean that.
“I think he had a special night, but I don’t think he’s special,” Harrison said. “… You’re special, because you proved it over the course of time. He’s not special. I’m just saying, Chris, I’m just saying.”
So instead of Jones’ perspective on Wilson becoming a talking point during the interview, Harrison flipped the conversation, and it led to WFAN’s Brandon Tierney calling the situation “completely unprofessional” and “embarrassing for him and to the network” in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Jones recorded three tackles, including a sack, as well as two quarterback hits as the Chiefs moved to 3-1, and the four-time Pro Bowler and 2022 AP All-Pro has already recorded 3 ½ sacks through three games in 2023.