Jets’ Zach Wilson rejects ‘scapegoat’ tag after being benched

When accepting his latest demotion without objection, Wilson expressed his belief in his personal growth despite the offense’s struggles, emphasizing that he’s been benched for the collective lack of touchdowns rather than solely his individual performance.

“I don’t think I was scapegoated. Absolutely not,” he said Tuesday. “You’ve got to look at the situation. We’re not scoring touchdowns. Regardless of what I’m doing, my job as a quarterback is to help us score points. I can sit here and say I’ve had a bunch of growth and tremendous whatever this year, but if you’re not scoring touchdowns, it doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t. And I get that.”

Wilson, who was replaced by Tim Boyle, faced a similar benching scenario last year. However, he highlighted the differences, acknowledging that the current offensive struggles make it hard to blame any individual. Despite his confidence and self-perceived growth, Wilson has struggled with consistency, ranking poorly in passing metrics and facing challenges due to ongoing changes in the offensive line.

Aside from being benched, Wilson has also been demoted to the third-string quarterback position, ironically behind players who were not initially on the team’s 53-man roster.

Looking ahead, Wilson remains optimistic about his future in the team and is focused on helping them succeed, even if it means playing a supporting role rather than being the starting quarterback. On the other hand, head coach Robert Saleh expressed hope that Boyle can bring a much-needed spark to the team in their upcoming game against the Miami Dolphins.

Boyle, despite his lackluster college career, believes in his capabilities and is determined to make the most of this opportunity to prove himself as a valuable asset to the team.