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NBC Sports analyst Rodney Harrison is doing a mea culpa after bizarrely trying to get Kansas City Chiefs tackle Chris Jones to bash Zach Wilson on Sunday.
Harrison reached out to the Jets on Monday morning to apologize to Wilson for his comments on the “Sunday Night Football” postgame show, head coach Robert Saleh said.
The Jets coach told reporters that he had heard about the comments by Harrison and that the commentator had “handled everything the right way” by reaching out to apologize.
“Ron is a good man,” Saleh said. “And whatever he’s getting for that, it’s water under the bridge. I think he’s handled it exactly the way he’s supposed to.”
Wilson had one of the best games he’s ever had in Jet uniform on Sunday night, leading New York to a second-half comeback against the defending Super Bowl champions.
The Jets did fall 23-20 in the end, but Wilson received praise for his effort and accountability.
The former second overall pick in 2021 completed 28-of-39 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns.
However, that didn’t seem to stop Harrison, who played 15 years in the NFL, from trying to goad Jones into an awkward conversation about the Jets QB.
It started with Harrison asking if Wilson had been better than anticipated, adding “and you can be honest” at the end.
Jones didn’t take the bait and praised Wilson, who the Chiefs’ tackle said was getting better each week.
That prompted another comment by Harrison, again trying to seemingly get Jones to criticize Wilson.
“But watching that tape, man, you gotta look at this dude and say, ‘Oh, he is garbage.’ Like we should really tear him apart,” Harrison said.
Rodney Harrison tried to bait Chris Jones into saying something bad about Zach Wilson
Chris Jones instead used the opportunity to praise Zach Wilson for his performance tonight.
Respect to Chris Jones.
(@stefanskifan)
pic.twitter.com/bwhhGFS88X
Saleh took the high ground on Monday when asked if he felt the comments had been piling on to Wilson.
“It’s part of the profession. Fair, unfair,” Saleh said. “It’s not, even though it feels personal, it’s not personal. You can’t take it personal. People are trying to eat too and trying to…We get it. It’s just part of the business, part of the profession.”
While Saleh didn’t jump into the fray, others in the football world certainly did.
The comments didn’t sit well with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons or fellow former NFLer turned broadcaster Matt Leinart.
Parsons questioned why Harrison was “trying to completely tear Zach Wilson down” instead of praise the Chiefs’ performance.
Leinart called it “trash” and “complete garbage.”
NBC Sports has not addressed the situation publicly, aside from promoting the viewership numbers for the Sunday Night Football telecast on social media.
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