Jets Country

Zach Wilson: Starting Quarterback Job With Jets Must Be Earned

New York Jets QB Zach Wilson understands that the starting quarterback job won't be handed to him. The No. 2 overall pick knows that he needs to earn that spot

Max Goodman

Zach Wilson may be the No. 2 pick—and the clear replacement for Sam Darnold under center—but he's not taking his role for granted.

Asked on Saturday if he's expecting to be the starting quarterback when the regular season begins later this year, Wilson said that he needs to earn the starting job. 

"That's not my focus right now," Wilson said. "My focus is to learn the offense, keep getting better every single day, do what I can with the guys around me and I think the rest takes care of itself. In this position, the coaches want to play the best player, and that position has got to be earned. I got to go in there and I got to make sure I do what I'm supposed to do."

Wilson is still acclimating himself to the next level, continuing to immerse himself in the playbook, an adjustment that he admitted was on the "complicated" side. 

That doesn't mean he hasn't showcased his abilities with his arms already, though.

"He did a really nice job," head coach Robert Saleh said Saturday, looking back at Day 1 of rookie minicamp. "The ball was in and out of his hands very crisp, he was in rhythm, he was on time, players were running the right routes and the ball was barely on the ground. So it was a very, very good first day for him. And now he's gonna stack it up and get better every day."

Wilson added that it's been a blast to get back on the football field. His life has changed quite a bit over this past week, but he's eager for his next challenge. 

That started on Friday when he put his helmet on and took the field as a member of the New York Jets for the first time. 

"It was exciting. A lot of thinking, way more thinking than you typically want to do in football," he said. "But that's a day one kind of thing. It was exciting to get on the field. Just the atmosphere, everything going on, I really love it. I'm just absorbing it with the guys, learning the offense and chipping away."

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher  of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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