Giants’ Jihad Ward: ‘Sucker s--t’ from Jets’ Randall Cobb, Aaron Rodgers prompted shove

Jihad Ward has no time for Hard Knocks, the Jets and cheap shots.
Ward, the Giants’ edge rusher, said he shoved Aaron Rodgers last Saturday because of “some sucker s--t” that wide receiver Randall Cobb and Rodgers pulled on the Jets’ first drive.
He didn’t like Cobb’s blindside block on Bobby McCain that concussed the Giants’ safety. And he didn’t like Rodgers’ reaction, either. So he did something about it.
“There’s a reason why I acted like that [in] the first place,” Ward said Wednesday at his locker. “There’s a reason why I shoved him like I did. The reason why is because I don’t let none of my mothf--kin’ teammates get knocked over, you know what I’m sayin’?
“And Randall — what’s his name, Randall Cobb? — he knew what he did,” Ward continued. “That was some cheap shit. But it’s like, if I see anything on the field, I gotta do what I gotta do. This ain’t no rah-rah this, that and a third. I don’t do all this internet stuff. I’m gonna let them have it.”
Ward added: “That was some sucker shit that Randall Cobb and Aaron Rodgers did. And I’m stamping on that. I ain’t hiding from nothing. So you could laugh now, cry later … They know what they did, and they [were] laughing and all that stuff. And I was the only one that was sticking up for him.”
This is quite the primer for the Giants’ and Jets’ Week 8 regular season meeting at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 29, to say the least.
HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ aired an episode Tuesday night that included audio of Rodgers yelling at Ward to “show some respect, bro” after the shove during Saturday’s 32-24 Jets exhibition win.
Rodgers also told Ward: “I don’t even know who you are, bro. I never heard of you.”
HBO showed Ward replying: “I don’t know who the f--k you [are] either.” Then Rodgers threw a touchdown pass, told Ward “don’t poke the bear” and bragged about his trash talk to teammates on the sideline.
On Wednesday, Ward said he didn’t quite understand the “show some respect” part.
“I don’t praise no man,” Ward said. “I don’t be on the field … on some ‘Like Mike’ stuff like ‘Hey, oh my God, it’s Aaron’ — I don’t care about none of that. I don’t care who you [are]. When you’re on that field, you have no respect. So it is what it is. You don’t gotta know me. That’s fine.”
That wasn’t the only Rodgers quote the Giants didn’t agree with, as a matter of fact.
Giants receiver Sterling Shepard found it interesting when he heard that Rodgers had called the team’s shared-digs “Jet Life Stadium” during the preseason win.
“That’s what he called it? Jet Life Stadium?” Shepard said Wednesday. “I guess, if that’s how he’s feeling. If that’s how he feels then that’s cool. I don’t feel that way. Obviously. I mean, everybody is gonna pull for their squad, obviously. I feel like when we step on the turf that’s our home, we want to protect it. That’s what our job entails is to protect our home stadium.”
McCain, who got back on the practice field Wednesday, said he appreciated Ward backing him up.
“I always appreciate my guys standing up for me and looking out for me,” McCain said. “The play is what it was, and it’s over with now. And we’re on to Dallas. But I definitely appreciate Haddi stepping in for me.”
Shepard said the Giants are “always gonna stand up for each other. That’s what you gotta do as a team. But you gotta do it in a smart way. As long as there’s no way a penalty is gonna get thrown on us, you want to stand up for your teammates in all areas.”
Ward, meanwhile, said he didn’t feel the need to respond to Rodgers’ words — “That’s all for the cameras and all that s--t. I don’t do this entertainment s--t.” He said he’s focused on the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants’ Week 1 opponent, not the Jets.
“They’re not in my division,” he said. “I could[n’t] care less about them.”
He just didn’t want people watching the game or Hard Knocks to think “I’m just out here trying to cause a scene.”
“There is a reason why I do things,” he said. “They weren’t even in the whole scenario of what really went down. They’re gonna show his part and make me look like a sucker. But I ain’t going for that.”
It’s not clear specifically when Ward saw Rodgers and Cobb laugh on the field after the block on McCain. Hard Knocks did show the Jets’ huddle after Cobb was penalized, and Rodgers and his receiver were playfully admonishing Cobb for the play.
“Fu--ing Cobby just lost all his training camp money,” Rodgers joked of an incoming fine. “What are you doing, bro? This ain’t 2014.”
“I blacked out,” Cobb said. “I [haven’t] hit nobody in a while.”
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“Just fu--ing shield him off, bro,” Rodgers said.
Ward said he didn’t tell Rodgers or Cobb what he was angry about because he didn’t have to.
“I don’t need to let him know,” he said. “They know what they did. I know what he did. The coaches know what he did. My teammates know what he did. I’m the only one that’s sticking up for it.
“Everybody’s gonna get pissed off at that,” Ward continued. “The whole team was pissed off. It’s preseason and you’re gonna do some[thing] like that? It’s cool, though, man. That’s how they role.
“And I think we play them soon. So it is what it is.”
Running back Jashaun Corbin decided to sign with the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad, according to a source, one day after the Giants released him. Corbin, 23, had an excellent training camp, but the Giants cut him anyway. They kept Saquon Barkley, Matt Breida, fifth-round rookie Eric Gray and veteran Gary Brightwell (knee) instead. The team wanted Corbin back on its practice squad, but he received interest from several teams and opted for a fresh start in the hope of being rewarded with regular season playing time. He earned it in New York but didn’t receive it. Maybe it will happen for Corbin in the NFC South … Wide receiver David Sills, a close friend of Daniel Jones’, signed with the Denver Broncos’ practice squad after being released and reunited with former Giants backup QB Davis Webb, who is now Sean Payton’s quarterback coach … The Giants re-signed 12 players to their practice squad: OL Tyre Phillips, LB Darrian Beavers, WR Cole Beasley. QB Tommy DeVito, DL Ryder Anderson, S Alex Cook, edges Oshane Ximines and Tomon Fox, LB Dyontae Johnson, CBs Amani Oruwariye and Gemon Green, and tight end Ryan Jones. So Beavers, a 2022 sixth-rounder, sticks on the team for now after becoming the first Schoen draft pick to get cut.
No pressure, Jalin Hyatt. The Giants’ third-round pick changed his jersey number to No. 13 on Wednesday after Sills left for Denver. He had previously worn 84. Rookie corner Deonte Banks (25), rookie safety Gervarrius Owens (39) and linebacker Isaiah Simmons (19) also got new digits. New outside linebacker Boogie Basham joined the team and is wearing No. 45.