The New York Jets' 2023 season-opener was a rollercoaster of emotions. Yes, they picked up the 22-16 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night after a walk-off, punt return for a touchdown by Xavier Gipson, but they lost quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the season. On the fourth snap of New York's opening drive, Rodgers was sacked by linebacker Leonard Floyd and had to be helped off the field. Rodgers was ruled out for the game, and on Tuesday, an MRI confirmed that he was out for the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Rodgers was supposed to help lead the team back to the playoffs. So, what are the Jets to do? While they have some great complementary pieces on offense and a ruthless defense, who will the Jets lean upon under center?
While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Saleh revealed, "this is Zach [Wilson's] team." This is the same point that Saleh made after the team's win on Monday night.
Robert Saleh declares that Zach Wilson will be the Jets' starting quarterback after Aaron Rodgers injury
"We are going to look through some things, but I do want to make it very clear: Zach's our quarterback," Saleh said, h/t NFL.com. "We got a lot of faith in Zach, we're really excited about his opportunity. But we're rolling with Zach and excited for him and, like I said, this opportunity that he's going to get."
For fans wondering if the team would bring in a big name to compete with Wilson, Saleh said that that won't be happening. Instead, the team will look to bring in a quarterback to fill in the depth chart. For now, Wilson's primary backup will be Tim Boyle, who will be elevated off the practice squad.
Wilson was drafted with the second-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, in hopes that he would be their franchise quarterback. But midway through last season, Wilson was benched after a bad performance against the New England Patriots, where he notably didn't take accountability after the game. Wilson apologized for it shortly afterward.
With Rodgers coming in, that would allow Wilson to sit behind him and learn from the four-time NFL MVP. Wilson headed back to the field much sooner than everyone expected, early in the first quarter after Rodgers ruptured his Achilles.
Wilson threw for 140 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while completing 14-of-21 pass attempts. His touchdown pass was to Garrett Wilson on an incredible reception, which helped tie the game at 13-13.
Saleh still believes in Wilson to lead the team to victory. He did, after all, notably say on Tuesday that he didn't understand "why people are trying to put an obituary onto our team name," citing the defense and the talent across the roster. Wilson's first true test to ease the doubts of Jets fans comes on Sunday afternoon, where they face a Dallas Cowboys team that beat the New York Giants 40-0 and sacked quarterback Daniel Jones seven times in Week 1.
