Mike Williams throws shade at Aaron Rodgers and NY Jets after game-winning TD

Mike Williams called out Aaron Rodgers on Instagram.

Mike Williams
Mike Williams | Scott Taetsch/GettyImages

Sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side. Former NY Jets wide receiver Mike Williams seems to be living his best life since being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers just prior to the trade deadline last week.

Williams hauled in the game-winning touchdown pass in his Steelers debut, a 32-yard deep ball from Russell Wilson that helped secure Pittsburgh its seventh win of the season. It was Williams' first touchdown in over a year, and he took to social media after the game to express gratitude.

He also threw a little shade at his former team in the process. More specifically, Williams took a shot at his former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, weeks after the infamous "red line" debacle.

Williams posted a photo of his game-winning touchdown on Instagram after the game with a caption that read "Thankful." The post included the hashtag "#RedLine," a not-so-subtle jab at his ex-QB.

Mike Williams is happy to be away from Aaron Rodgers and the NY Jets

Rodgers called out Williams for running a poor route during a 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills last month, insisting that his receiver failed to run "down the red line," a reference to the red line that runs parallel on practice fields. Essentially, Rodgers expected Williams to be closer to the sideline.

The Jets proceeded to trade for Davante Adams just days after Rodgers' verbal critique of Williams, prompting the latter to become the subject of trade rumors. The team would ultimately send Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a fifth-round pick a few weeks later.

Williams signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Jets in the offseason with the expectation that he would serve as the team's WR2. He finished his brief Jets career with just 12 catches for 166 yards in nine games.

Williams struggled to develop chemistry with Rodgers and seemed to be a poor fit for the Jets' offensive scheme. The proverbial nail in the coffin came when he lost Rodgers' trust. There was no coming back from that.

But while his former team just suffered arguably its worst loss of the season courtesy of a 31-6 beatdown at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals, Williams is catching game-winning touchdowns for the first-place 7-2 Steelers. He's doing just fine for himself.

Williams might not have been able to find a home catching passes from Rodgers in East Rutherford, but he's had no trouble fitting in alongside Russell Wilson and the Steelers. A change of scenery can do wonders for a player's confidence, and that seems to be especially true for those leaving the Jets.

More NY Jets news and analysis:

Schedule