The New York Jets are working to figure out how they will continue their season without their star quarterback.
Just a few minutes into the Jets season opener on Sept. 11, Rogers had an awkward fall after being sacked by Buffalo’s Leonard Floyd. After showing signs of pain in his leg, Rodgers was removed from the field, cutting his season opener short.
Speculation began about the 39-year-old’s injury, and after an MRI the next day, head coach Robert Saleh confirmed it was a fully torn left Achilles tendon that would require season-ending surgery.
Without Rodgers, the Jets and backup quarterback Zach Wilson beat the Bills on opening night. Fans and experts turned their speculation over to who would permanently replace Rodgers. The Jets released a statement confirming their choice.
“I want to make it very clear — Zach is our quarterback,” Jets head coach Saleh said in a press conference. “We have a lot of faith in Zach, and we are really excited about this opportunity. We are rolling with Zach, and we are excited for him and this opportunity he is going to get.”
Wilson is a former BYU quarterback and, during his time there, was a two-time bowl game MVP.
He was drafted by the Jets back in 2021 as their starting quarterback. In his first season, he played in 13 games and led the Jets to a rough season. They finished 4-13 and placed last in the AFC East.
According to ESPN, during that first season, Wilson posted only 213 completed yards. He only had 9 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions and 44 sacks.
In 2022, Wilson had a knee injury that allowed him to only start in nine games. That year, he had 132 completed yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions.
In 2023, the Jets added Rodgers to their roster to replace Wilson as their starting quarterback.
“After Rodgers shared his interest in joining the Jets, Green Bay and New York got to work hammering out a trade,” Deseret News said. “The deal was finalized in late April, just before the 2023 NFL draft.”
Now, with Rodgers out of commission for the foreseeable future, Wilson will once again take charge of the Jets.
The Jets are now 1-2 and the heat is already on Wilson. In the face-off against the Cowboys, Dallas delivered a bit of a beatdown with a 30-10 win over New York.
“Wilson, making his first start in place of Rodgers, did not play well,” the New York Post said. “He completed 44.4 percent of his passes, threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter and was only able to lead the Jets on one extended drive.”
Wilson was not alone in the blame for the loss. The Jet’s defense, which has typically been their stronghold, struggled throughout the game and the offensive line continued to crumble.
Post-game, Wilson reflected on his performance, saying it was “not good” and said he didn’t put them in good positions.
His performance sparked heavily divided views on whether or not the Jets should continue to place their faith in him.
However, the team has repeated their faith in the young quarterback and has unified behind him.
“We have complete trust and faith in him. … We’re going to keep making sure he knows we got his back,” Jets tight end Tyler Conklin said.
The Jets will continue with Wilson against the Kansas City Chiefs for a Sunday Night Football showdown.