It’s no real secret to any NFL fan that Zach Wilson’s career with the New York Jets did not exactly go according to plan. The Jets selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but he has not been particularly successful when he’s played for the team and was ultimately benched midway through the 2022 season.
His career obviously hasn’t been great, but one shocking stat highlights just how bad Wilson has been for the Jets.
As Scott Barrett of Fantasy Points points out on Twitter, the New York Jets have the second-fewest passing yards per game in the entire NFL when Zach Wilson has started over the past two seasons. But in games when he doesn’t start, they have the most passing yards per game in the entire league.
“Team Leaders by Passing YPG [2021-2022]
1. Jets (when Zach Wilson is out) – 292.0
2. Chiefs – 289.8
3. Buccaneers – 288.7
4. Chargers – 276.0
5. Bengals – 261.9
…
31. Panthers – 183.4
32. Jets (when Zach Wilson starts) – 170.9
33. Bears – 159.6,” Barrett said in a tweet.
It’s an absolutely brutal stat, and the NFL world had plenty to say about it on Twitter as a result.
Zach Wilson was so bad, it isn't even funny https://t.co/aLAFyTPRCI
— Windy (白銀沙花叉)
(@shirowindy928) May 19, 2023
They didn’t have to do Zach like that
#Jets https://t.co/j1ZO6diOyQ — Daniel Murphy (@DanielnDistress) May 19, 2023
this is the most preposterous thing ever seen https://t.co/AL61cFT22s
— Drip Skylark (@Alexkaczynski) May 19, 2023
Now that Wilson has been replaced by future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, it will certainly be interesting to see what happens to the Jets passing game.