Zach Wilson is no longer under center for the New York Jets, as the Jets have moved on to both Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian as their quarterbacks. However, New York apparently wants to hand the ball back to Wilson, but he seems reluctant to step back in.
That has prompted former NFL running back Tiki Barber to tear into Wilson, calling Wilson’s hesitance a “puss move” and that the Jets should simply cut the youngster if the report is true.
“It is hard enough just to get here. It is a complete other level to actually have some level of success…and then there is staying here,” Barber said on WFAN’s Evan and Tiki. “And the only way to stay here in the NFL is to go above and beyond, even when it sucks. Whatever they ask you to do, you go do. For Zach Wilson to allegedly have some doubt about wanting to play should invalidate him from being in the NFL. Period. If you’re gonna tell your team – I don’t care how they treated you – if you’re gonna tell the team that employs you, and is trying to give you another opportunity, ‘No thanks,’ you have sacrificed your right to be in this league.”
Jets head coach Robert Saleh shot down any notion that Wilson did not want to play, saying Wilson “wouldn’t be here” if that were the case (via the Jets’ official YouTube account).
Wilson was pressed into starting duty back in Week 1 when prized offseason acquisition Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles on the first offensive series of the year.
In 10 appearances and nine starts this season, Wilson has thrown for 1,944 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 59.2 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 73.8.
The 24-year-old, who played his collegiate football at BYU, was selected by New York with the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Zach Wilson has gone just 11-20 as a starter and has accumulated 21 touchdowns and 25 picks in his three seasons with the Jets.
New York is 4-8 and will take on the Houston Texans next Sunday.
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