After Jets quarterback Zach Wilson lost his starting job on Wednesday, he spoke to reporters about his response to his performance in last Sunday’s loss to the Patriots.
Wilson went 9-of-22 for 77 yards in a game that the Jets lost 10-3 on a punt return touchdown in the final seconds and then said he didn’t feel like he let the team’s defense down. That comment led to bad feelings in the team’s locker room and Wilson said on Wednesday that “the way that I handled the situation wasn’t right.”
Wilson said he also spoke to his teammates directly about what happened and cornerback D.J. Reed said that the quarterback’s words were well received.
“What he said was very genuine,” Reed said, via Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “It came from his heart. It was very real. He definitely poured his heart out. If he didn’t already have it, he definitely earned and gained everyone’s respect from what he said today.”
Mike White is starting this Sunday, but the message from the Jets was that they want Wilson to use this time to reset himself with eyes on a return to the lineup. It’s not clear when that might happen, but handling the fallout from his comments was a necessary part of that process.