The Jets are heading backwards during the final stretch of the season, and Zach Wilson has been the face of New York’s struggles.
The second-year quarterback was benched again during Thursday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in favor of Chris Streveler, who was activated from the practice squad this week.
The decision came after Jets fans booed Wilson for his poor performance, and rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson was visibly frustrated over his quarterback’s play. The 23-year-old passed for 9-of-18 for 92 yards and one interception.
Head coach Robert Saleh claimed postgame he put Streveler in to spark the run game, and the decision was not influenced by Wilson’s struggles, per Brian Costello of the New York Post.
“Keep your head up, you just got to keep working,” Saleh told reporters on what he would say to Wilson, per CBS Sports video. “We haven’t seen the last of him, but right now, he just has to focus on finding ways to get better. We gotta find ways to help him. We gotta find ways to protect better. We gotta run better. We gotta find better ways to call the game better. We’ve got to do a lot. It’s not just him. It’s a collective whole. We all gotta find ways to be better.”
The head coach reiterated his point Friday when he said, “We’re not going to quit on him,” as transcribed by Costello.
However, Saleh would not commit to Wilson as the starter if Mike White remained out for Week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic.
Wilson’s future in New York is unknown as analysts are reevaluating their views on the QB from before the 2021 NFL Draft, and there are multiple people who hope Thursday was the last time the 23-year-old has ever played in the league.
