The New York Jets’ starting quarterback is beginning to receive praise, not slights, from defensive opponents
One week after Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay made headlines for his subtle digs at Zach Wilson and the New York Jets offense, it appears that opponents are already changing their tune.
During the Denver Broncos’ media availability on Wednesday, three-time All-Pro safety Justin Simmons raved about Wilson.
#Broncos DB @jsimms1119 said #Jets QB @ZachWilson looked ‘really good’ against the #Chiefs + said he has ‘all the athleticism & wherewithal to be an #NFL quarterback & to do it at a high level’ 👀 he then said ‘you don’t just go toe to toe w/ [Patrick] Mahomes’ + ‘that speaks… pic.twitter.com/dPXzFyMpC4
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) October 4, 2023
“He has all the athleticism, he has all the wherewithal to be an NFL quarterback and to do it at a high level. You don’t just go toe-to-toe with Mahomes and the Chiefs, and they have a really good defense as well. That speaks volumes to him and the guys around him, and the team and the resilience they have,” said Simmons.
In the matter of one game, the narrative around Wilson has evolved. Even last week, the chatter around Wilson was centered around whether he was on the verge of a permanent benching. There seemed to be little support for the third-year quarterback outside Robert Saleh and the Jets organization.
But after putting forth the best performance of his NFL career, the discussion has shifted around the league. Rather than taking shots at his play, players around the league are praising Wilson’s resiliency and the talent he displayed on Sunday. That includes Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys.
Micah Parsons stands up for Zach Wilson after Rodney Harrison bashed him on SNF ✊ pic.twitter.com/x3IV6rFHWQ
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 2, 2023
However, the positivity can all vanish in an instant if Wilson regresses to the player he has been for most of his career. One good game does not matter if it is an outlier among many bad performances.
Denver’s defense, which has struggled recently, presents a great opportunity for Wilson to stack another positive performance. If Wilson performs at the level he showed he is capable of, he will continue on the path of winning back fans and making his talent known to the NFL as a whole.
