Robert Saleh on Wednesday is expected to name the Jets’ starting quarterback for their game against the Texans Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
BREAKING: There’s not much from which to choose for the Jets’ beleaguered head coach.
This is a bit like choosing between dog food and cat food for dinner.
And, with the team on Tuesday waiving Tim Boyle — aka friend of Aaron Rodgers — after two unmemorable starts that included being benched in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 13-8 loss to the Falcons, that Jets starter is widely expected to be Zach Wilson.
If, however, Wilson agrees to suit up and play — as preposterous as that may sound.
A report surfaced on Monday from The Athletic that stated, according to sources, Wilson was reluctant to play because he was concerned about getting injured playing for a team that’s already benched him three times and is virtually certain not to bring him back in 2024.
There were hints that Wilson’s nose was bent out of shape from being benched — even though he produced just six touchdown passes in nine starts this season to go with seven interceptions, and owns a career 11-20 record.
Saleh, speaking carefully, on Monday afternoon didn’t shoot down the report. But he revealed that Wilson came to him to tell him he “wants the ball” and that he believes he’s the best quarterback to lead the team.
Sadly, Wilson is right. Boyle, who was given the nod as a hopeful “spark,” was an abomination. Trevor Siemian, who replaced Boyle in the fourth quarter on Sunday, was even worse. Journeyman Brett Rypien was signed on Tuesday off the Seahawks’ practice squad and is the fifth quarterback on their roster this season.
What a mess — on an organizational level and for Wilson, whose career has been as disappointing as it’s been calamitous.
If there’s a shred of truth to that Athletic report — and the reporters who broke the story are trustworthy journalists — this has potential to be a death knell for Wilson’s career. Because no player in any locker room wants to play with and/or back a quitter.
If Wilson has even a shred of doubt about whether he wants the ball on Sunday, he’ll have lost the Jets’ locker room (if he even had it in the first place) and he’ll have a hard time gaining the confidence of any other NFL locker room should another team sign him.
These kinds of things stick with players. They don’t go away.
To the contrary of that report — if it’s true and not some inside source bent on sabotaging Wilson — he should be begging for more playing time so he can try to erase all of his poor play that’s come before this.
If he is, indeed, named the starter and acquiesces to play, Wilson should look at this as an opportunity to rebuild his confidence, his standing with the team and his reputation — not necessarily in that order.
This can be a chance to resuscitate his fledgling career and validate his status as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft.
But if we’re being realistic, Wilson playing at MetLife Stadium on Sunday represents a potentially toxic scene based on how ticked off Jets fans already are about the team’s 4-8 record and current five-game losing streak that’s wrecked any playoff hopes.
Add to that the fact that most Jets fans have long ago lost any belief in Wilson and that they’ll be watching Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud, the No. 2-overall pick in last April’s draft who’s having an MVP season.
Then tack on that report of his supposed hesitance to play and this makes Sunday a day that could devolve into a very ugly day for the Wilson and the Jets.
With Jets players off Monday and Tuesday, Wilson won’t be available to publicly defend himself from that report until Wednesday. Presumably, he’ll make himself available and address the situation. If he doesn’t, it’ll only compound the mess.
Rodgers, who’s been an ardent supporter of Wilson since the moment he became a Jet, on Tuesday aggressively defended him on his weekly appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” calling The Athletic report “chicken s–t at its core.”
“When you use sources to try to assassinate someone’s character like that report does for Zach, I have a hard time with that,” Rodgers said. “You’re basically saying that this kid is quitting on the team and doesn’t want to play and is giving the middle finger to the organization.”
Right now, almost every Jets fan wants to flip the bird to the entire organization.
Figures to be a fun day Sunday.
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