Support for Zach Wilson inside the Jets locker room is fading fast — if it isn’t already gone.
The sophomore quarterback was defiant and unaccountable after leading the Jets offense to just three points in Sunday’s dramatic loss to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Wilson’s comments and demeanor inside the locker room after the game reportedly angered teammates — as well as players and pundits around the NFL — and a day later New York head coach Robert Saleh indicated the Jets could make a quarterback change.
On Tuesday morning, SNY’s Connor Hughes offered further insight into Wilson’s diminishing support among New York’s players and coaches.
Hughes reported that some Jets players have expressed concerns about Wilson’s practice performance dating back to training camp. Some disagreements even happened during practice. But Wilson’s decision to say “no,” Sunday night when asked whether he let down New York’s excellent defense served as a breaking point for some of his teammates.
“The defense and receivers were specifically ticked off,” Hughes wrote Tuesday. “Denzel Mims and rookie Garrett Wilson became so frustrated they lashed out at Wilson on the field. Others felt there was nothing Wilson could to that would lead to any criticism internally — he was above the team.”
Hughes also offered this interesting note: “Wilson did not address the defense, or team as a whole, on Monday, defensive lineman Quinnen Williams said. The coaching staff was critical of Wilson in team meetings, sources told SNY, something Saleh acknowledged during his conference call on Monday, but that was never going to be enough. The locker room wanted answers. Wilson’s latest performance led many to feel the season was slipping away. Publicly, players said the right thing. Internally, there was the makings of a divide. What really was the team trying to accomplish this season?”
Saleh after Sunday’s game stood by Wilson and said a quarterback change was the “furthest” thing from his mind. But his mind began to change during the flight home from Providence, R.I., according to Hughes.
“Saleh began reviewing the film,” Hughes wrote. “He saw a ‘championship-quality’ defense. He saw playmakers at receiver, talent at tight end, quality running backs and a competent offensive line. Then he saw a quarterback who simply has not developed at the same rate as his teammates.”
Hughes added that there still is a greater than 50% chance that Wilson starts this Sunday when the Jets host the Chicago Bears. But it now is quite clear that the 2021 second-overall pick is on a very short leash.
