Wilson told coaches and teammates he was under the impression he’d have a direct line to Rodgers, even after Rodgers tore his Achilles and flew home to California for surgery in the early stages of his rehab. Instead, Wilson barely heard from him.
It was only after
The Athletic reported about Wilson’s hesitance that he went into Saleh’s office to say he’d start against the
Houston Texans that week if asked. He did, and had the best game of his career, out-dueling star rookie
C.J. Stroud in a surprising 30-6 win — before suffering a concussion the next week that ended his season.
Things went sideways for Saleh after the report about Wilson’s reluctance to return to the lineup.
“That’s a problem with the organization,” Rodgers said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “We need to get to the bottom of whatever this is coming from and put a stop to it privately, because there’s no place in a winning culture … and this isn’t the only time. There’s been a bunch of other leaks.”
That sent Saleh into a tailspin. The coach held a meeting with his staff two days later where he asked the leaker to reveal himself, according to multiple people in attendance. “If you come forward now, you won’t get in trouble,” he told them while threatening to take their cell phones. Staffers were bemused by Saleh’s obsession with the Wilson story and his reaction to it.
theathletic.com
