Zach Wilson Injury: Unpacking What We Know About the NY Jets' QB Situation

The 2023 NFL season was supposed to be a landmark campaign for the New York Jets. The franchise, which has been something of a punching bag in recent years, stole offseason headlines by landing Aaron Rodgers. The signal-caller, combined with some young offensive talents and a sturdy defense, was supposed to get the club over the hump.

Then the season began.

As you'll surely remember, Rodgers went down during his first series with what proved to be a season-ending injury. That pushed Zach Wilson, who lost the starting job to the veteran, into the spotlight. Things did not go well.

Now, we're staring down the end of the season and the Jets are playing a largely meaningless Thursday night game. And, in a turn that's fitting for this campaign, Wilson won't even be under center.

What's going on with the quarterback? Let's break it all down.

Why Isn't Zach Wilson Playing?

While Rodgers' injury was league-changing news, he wasn't the only quarterback to get hurt this season. Multiple teams have lost their starters, and now even Wilson is sidelined.

On December 17, the QB left the game with what was initially thought to be dehydration, but he didn't return to the fray. The team later announced that he was ruled out with a concussion.

When Gang Green retook the field on Christmas Eve, Wilson wasn't ready to play. Instead, Trevor Siemian got the start and led the Jets to victory over the Commanders.

And with Thursday Night Football giving New York a short week ahead of their date with the Browns, the timeline wasn't in Wilson's favor. He didn't practice all week and was ultimately listed as "Out" on the final injury report.

When Will Wilson Return?

At the best of times, head injuries can be a mixed bag. When you add the surrounding context into the mix, however, things become even less clear.

With one game remaining after Thursday's engagement, the Jets have nothing to play for. They aren't going to make the postseason and while their draft position could improve, a truly elite prospect is probably out of reach. At the risk of overlooking the more minor storylines, like players fighting for a roster spot next year, the final two games don't really matter.

With that in mind, there's no reason to rush things. And while we could see Wilson back next week (at least in uniform), it's equally possible that he and the Jets will let Week 18 come and go.

Trevor Siemian Remains the Jets' Starter

Given that Wilson is still injured and the Jets won last weekend, it's understandable that head coach Robert Saleh is standing pat. That means Siemian will remain under center.

The veteran, who's nearing the end of his seventh NFL season, has appeared in three games this season; his only start was last weekend against Washington. In total, he's thrown for 393 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.

At this point in the year, though, the Jets don't have many options. With Rodgers and Wilson both injured, it's either Siemian or Brett Rypien (and his four-career NFL starts) under center.

What About Aaron Rodgers?

But wait, you might be thinking, what about Aaron Rodgers? Wasn't the veteran pushing to return before the end of the season?

Despite all the positive hints we received during the season, the quarterback wasn't healthy enough to play. His practice window opened, and he's since moved onto the active roster, but that simply allows him to practice with the team.

"I think the whole time it's been hoping that we're still in it because it was unrealistic to think that I would be 100 percent to be medically cleared at any point during the regular season," Rodgers said during his December 19 appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. "I do feel like in the next three to four weeks, it would have been very possible to get to 100 percent, but obviously not there. So the conversation was a way from 100 percent medical clearance to willingness to play, and that's never been a problem for me."

And as we said with Wilson's concussion, the reality of the Jets' situation probably informed things. With nothing to play for, there was simply no reason to risk Rodgers' health in a game.

What Does the Future Hold for Wilson?

Given that he's not playing on Thursday and it's unclear if he'll suit up in Week 18, we might never see Wilson in a Jets uniform again. He's under contract for one more season, but that could be irrelevant.

The quarterback was, after all, the starter before Rodgers arrived. He was demoted to backup on the idea that he could learn from the veteran but quickly found himself thrust into the action. And while there's room to debate how much of the offense's subsequent struggles fall on Wilson's shoulders, he didn't exactly lead the team to the promised land. He even ended up getting benched at one point.

If you can't count on your backup to keep things rolling in case of emergency, why keep him on the roster?

But, when the 2024 campaign arrives, everyone wearing green and white will hope that the team's choice of backup quarterback is irrelevant.