Social media users have fallen for the oldest trick in the book — again.
It’s not even that this video was intentionally edited to be deceptive, but those who consumed it on Elon Musk’s X have chosen to see it for what the caption says it is, allowing their eyes to deceive them in the process.
DeMeco Ryans appeared to have given Aaron Rodgers the cold shoulder in the aftermath of the New York Jets’ 21-13 win over the Houston Texans on Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football. It looked weird live, but not wanting to create something out of nothing, you assumed that the two brushed past one another because they already had exchanged pleasantries.
Instead, social media was in an uproar over the Texans head coach seemingly taking up for his close friend and confidant, Robert Saleh. The now ex-New York Jets head coach, whose firing has been pinned on Rodgers, has created quite the allyship in the media despite going 20-36 during his tenure with the Jets. And while Rodgers absolutely got Saleh fired—by his play—he resents any allegations that place him in the line of fire.
What anyone chooses to believe is certainly their prerogative, and Rodgers is by no means blameless, but this has already clearly been debunked. It could’ve been debunked by watching closely at the original clip, where the two dapped each other open in the corner of the camera, but it took on a life of its own before being put to a stop.
That clip already had nearly two million views (without community notes, mind you) on X before Ari Meirov posted the photo below, which clearly shows Rodgers engaging with Ryans.
And before you ask, no, this doesn’t seem to be an AI-manipulated photo.
Kevin R. Wexler of NorthJersey.com shot the photo in question.
Many people have a negative view of Aaron Rodgers, and he’s brought a lot of that on himself, but in this instance, the outrage was misplaced. This wasn’t a moment of spite between Ryans and Rodgers; it was a case of a blink-and-you-miss-it handshake that the broadcast just happened to miss.
Whether you root for him or not, Rodgers has become a lightning rod for controversy, and many are quick to pounce at any hint of friction. Remember when he presumably shoved Robert Saleh the last time the Jets were on TNF?
As we all have come to find out one way or another, social media is often more than willing to run with a narrative, even if the facts don’t hold up.