On Wednesday, The Athletic released a very well-sourced piece on the New York Jets, revealing everything that went wrong behind the scenes during their dismal 2023 season. There was a lot of new material in there, despite the fact that the organisation was leaking like a sinking ship as the year progressed following Aaron Rodgers’ injury.
Some of the new information focused on Zach Wilson’s relationship with the superstar quarterback. Their mentor-mentee situation received a lot of media attention throughout the summer. Rodgers expressed his desire to help the troubled young quarterback, and Wilson said all the right things about wanting to learn from one of the all-time greats despite losing his job. From the outside, it did appear
According to a new feature in The Athletic, everything changed when Rodgers was hurt. Wilson reportedly told teammates and coaches that he had scarcely heard from the All-Pro quarterback throughout the season, which “soured” their relationship, as Saleh discovered after asking Rodgers to speak with Wilson about returning to the field after being benched.
According to team sources, Saleh requested that Rodgers talk with Wilson in order to persuade the young quarterback to reconsider his decision. That did not work either. Wilson’s sentiments for his idol deteriorated over the season.
As Rodgers was pushing the limits of ruptured Achilles therapy, intent to return in a little over three months — an extraordinary recovery period for that injury — Wilson, along with some Jets teammates and coaches, grew tired of Saleh fawning over
“I think he’s already sacrificed so much for the organisation, himself, and his teammates, and he’s doing it again,” Saleh remarked on Nov. 30 when discussing Rodgers’ attempted comeback. “I think it’s a testament to who he is as a human.”
Wilson told coaches and teammates that he expected to have direct access to Rodgers, even after Rodgers tore his Achilles and travelled back to California for surgery in the early stages of his recovery. Instead, Wilson had very little communication from him.
A rather typical Big Brother-Little Brother relationship. You’re ignoring your sister because you’re preoccupied with your own issues. In this case, the “stuff” was Rodgers’ attempt to disregard all medical experience by returning from a torn Achilles in
