New Dolphins QB Zach Wilson comes clean about ‘challenging’ time with Jets

It’s no secret it was a rough go for Zach Wilson with the New York Jets.

The former No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft never threw double-digit touchdowns in a season, completed just 55 percent of passes and, two years into his career, the Jets brought in an aging future Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rodgers to replace him as the starter.

He still played plenty in that 2023 season, in which Rodgers was sidelined with a torn Achilles four plays in, but it was his last in New York. After sitting on the sidelines for the 2024 season as a backup for the Denver Broncos, Wilson signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency to be Tua Tagovailoa’s backup.

In his first public comments since the move, with the Dolphins’ in-house podcast, Wilson looked back on the tough time with his new AFC East rival after entering the league with the pressure of being a high draft pick.

“It was challenging,” Wilson said. “There’s things, looking back, I wish I could’ve done so much better, maybe would’ve approached differently, but I think, at the end of the day, it’s all part of the story. Learning from those experiences and those hard times ultimately is what got me here and hopefully being able to take advantage of the opportunity here.”

In Miami, Wilson could join a system that already turned around Tagovailoa under coach Mike McDaniel, offensive coordinator Frank Smith and quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell. To boot, the Dolphins added former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik to the staff.

“I think it’s going to be a great fit with what I’m looking for,” Wilson said, “the type of offense, the amount of information I’ll be able to learn from these guys. I think it couldn’t have been a better match.”

With the Jets, Wilson also had experience in a similar scheme with their former offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

It’ll also help to have wide receivers on the outside like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

“Extremely explosive,” he said of the offense. “There’s obviously a lot of speed on the field. It’s been one of those teams that, when I try to watch film of the offense, you can’t really replicate anything they’re doing because they’re extremely explosive with what they have. Coach does a great job of altering things to his players and what their best strong suits are.”

Wilson is also a full season removed from his time with the Jets. He never had to enter a regular-season game in Denver, with rookie Broncos quarterback Bo Nix starting every game.

“It was kind of just a different way of looking at the game,” Wilson said. “I thought they did a great job of bringing the entire team together. I felt like, taking that next step, it got a little bit easier playing with the guys around me (in practice).”

Wilson said, when he was with New York, he always looked forward to playing the Dolphins game in Miami Gardens, knowing there would be better weather than northern cities the deeper it got into seasons.

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