Flying to Utah on his bye week, tripping over the 10-yard line, and taking 105 sacks over three dreadful seasons... how it all went wrong for Zach Wilson with the New York Jets

For Zach Wilson, the 2023 season was supposed to be a kind of football rehab.

After struggling for his first two NFL campaigns, the New York Jets quarterback entered training camp second on the depth chart behind prized offseason acquisition and four-time MVP, Aaron Rodgers.

The expectations he faced as a former second-overall pick should have subsided, allowing him to study under a former Super Bowl winner before, eventually, resuming his role as Jets starter in the coming years.

Instead, the benched Wilson now sits third on the depth chart for the 4-6 Jets, who are still entertaining hopes of getting Rodgers back from a torn Achilles in time for a potential playoff push.

But while it's easy to blame the last three months on Rodgers' injury, Wilson's on-field troubles began long before the 39-year-old went down in the Jets' season opener. The following is Mail Sport's look back at Wilson's turbulent tumble down coach Robert Saleh's depth chart:

A STAR IS BORN

NFL Pro Days, as they are known, allow aspiring players to work out for prospective teams in hopes of being selected in the draft. For all but a few collegiate players, the workouts are rarely newsworthy, but a skinny blonde-haired, blue-eyed BYU quarterback seized the national media spotlight during his Pro Day in March of 2021.

A Utah native and non-practicing Mormon, Wilson had opted against attending Boise State to instead play for BYU, the Provo-based school founded by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leader Brigham Young in 1875.

Wilson had been impressive for the Cougars, who enjoyed two 7-6 seasons and a remarkable 11-1 campaign over his three seasons in Provo. Not only did he complete 73.5 percent of his passes in 2020, but his 33-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio that season was among the best in the country.

But it wasn't until his Pro Day that Wilson cemented himself as an elite NFL prospect by effortlessly hurling a 60-yard bomb without even setting his feet.

Owners of the second pick that year, the Jets brass was in attendance that day. And with Trevor Lawrence expected to go first to Jacksonville, New York appeared eager to pull the trigger on Wilson.

'Draft starts at 3,' The Athletic's Dane Brugler reported soon thereafter. 'Wilson going 2.'

Brugler was proven right on April 29 when Wilson became the second of five quarterbacks drafted in the first round, nearly all of whom have struggled in the NFL.

At the time, nobody anticipated the issues.

'You never truly know until it happens on draft day, but this is what I was hoping for, this is what me and my family were praying for, is to be in this situation and go play for the Jets,' Wilson told reporters.

'When you can be a key piece that actually flips an organization around, I think that's so special,' he added.

WELCOME TO THE NFL

Expectations surrounding Wilson were nearly extinguished during his brutal rookie season.

After missing the first few days of training camp with a brief holdout, Wilson signed a four-year deal worth a total of $58 million and was immediately handed the reins of the offense.

But things got off to a bad start as Wilson and the Jets suffered a Week 1 loss to the Carolina Panthers and quarterback Sam Darnold, who was moved out of New York to make room for the former BYU star in 2021.

And things only got worse from there, as the team stumbled to a 1-5 start before backup Mike White led New York to an upset of the Cincinnati Bengals when Wilson went down with a knee injury.

Wilson ultimately recovered, but his season stats did not. The 22-year-old finished the season 3-10 with nine touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions. Worst of all, he was sacked 44 times that season, due in large part to his habit of holding onto the ball for too long - something that still persists. 

And it wasn't just Wilson's propensity for taking sacks, lousy decision making or his inaccurate throws. He was also accused of handling himself poorly as a rookie.

'I like Zach Wilson,' former Jets cornerback Lamar Jackson told Jets blogger David Wyatt-Hupton the following season when asked to look back on his time in New York.

'But I can see comments about how he carries himself, a sense of arrogance. I could see how it could rub people the wrong way. When he's good, he's good, and when he's bad, he's bad. When you're not the most likeable guy, of course when things are bad, everybody's going to have a problem with you.'

And with White showing flashes in 2021 and 2022, rumors had it that Wilson was losing the locker room.

'I can definitely tell you the locker room, they're behind Mike White,' Jackson said. 'He's one of those guys that's very likeable. I know everybody's going to be trying to buy in and help him succeed just [because of] the type of guy he is. I know he has good respect over there.

'Guys are going to help Mike White make it happen. They kind of know the situation. There ain't no telling how they really feel about Zach.'

MAMA'S FRIEND DRAMA  

Following Wilson's reported split with his long-time girlfriend in 2022, the Jets quarterback was accused by his ex of having an affair with his mother's best friend.

Details around the allegations remain hazy.

The rumors began after Wilson's ex, Abbey Gile, reportedly began dating Wilson's former college teammate and roommate, Washington Commanders receiver Dax Milne.

Accused of being a 'homie hopper' on social media, Gile instead pointed the finger at Wilson: 'He was sleeping with his mom's best friend... that's the real homie hopper.'

Wilson has since sidestepped questions about the alleged affair, and the mother's friend has never been identified, publicly.

WILSON GETS PIECES TO SUCCEED, DOESN'T

Whereas Wilson was poised to struggle on mediocre team in 2021, the additions of wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall in the 2022 NFL Draft appeared to bolster his chances in his second season.

Already equipped with one of the league's top defenses, the Jets should should have been taking the next step as a team under Saleh, who was entering his second season.

And Wilson initially did his part in 2022, returning from a torn meniscus in Week 4 to lead the Jets on a four-game winning streak, albeit while throwing only one touchdown compared to two interceptions.

But, inevitably, things turned sour in Week 8, when Wilson completed only 20 of 41 passes, three of which were picked off in a loss to the rival New England Patriots.

When asked if he let the Jets' defense down after the unit played splendidly against New England, Wilson insisted that was not the case, much to the dismay of fans and sports talk radio hosts.

As the 2022 campaign dragged on, Wilson was once again benched in favor of White and finished the year 5-4 with a putrid 72.8 quarterback rating – 33rd out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks that season.

'White has more poise than Wilson and he is more cut out for New York from a personality standpoint,' former Jets scouting director Daniel Kelly wrote for SI.com in 2021. 'White is more deliberate in the pocket and looks more confident. White has a stronger arm. The team and the fans are responding better to him too. White is more inspiring. He is also getting far more production out of the existing personnel.'

AARON RODGERS' APPRENTICE

Somewhat controversially, Jets GM Joe Douglas decided to hold on to Wilson after acquiring Rodgers in an off-season trade rather than getting a more experienced backup.

Despite Wilson's struggles, Douglas and Saleh believed Wilson would do well to learn under Rodgers, a future Hall of Famer known for his poise in the pocket and solid decision making.

'It's been great to see those two guys work together,' Douglas told reporters in May. 'And to see Zach be a little bit of a shadow to Aaron and pick up on some things, how he communicates to teammates, his cadence, every small thing. You see all of these guys picking up on it these last two weeks.'

Douglas even admitted that he made a mistake by tossing Wilson into the fire as rookie, saying he should have brought in a veteran to mentor the young quarterback instead.

'And so if I had to do everything over again, I would've probably had that veteran presence in the room early for Zach,' Douglas said.

Initially, Wilson seemed to be receptive to the idea and looked solid in the preseason, completing 66 percent of his passes without throwing any interceptions.

PROMTIONS, DEMOTIONS, AND TWO REGRETTABLE TRIPS

Rodgers didn't survive the first series of the Jets' 2023 season, going down with a ruptured Achilles after being sacked by Buffalo's Leonard Floyd.

Remarkably, Wilson came in and led the Jets to a 22-16 overtime victory against the hated Bills, while completing 14 of 21 passes.

'My job as a quarterback is I've got to step up,' Wilson said as the Jets improved to 1-0. 'I've got to be as efficient as I can in that offense.'

But Wilson has been anything but efficient, completing just 58.6 percent of his passes for 200 yards a game, while tossing five touchdowns and six interceptions.

He also took significant criticism for a bye week trip to Utah, where he and his new girlfriend, Nicolette Dellanno, reportedly went apple picking.

WFAN host Shaun Morash took the opportunity to blast Wilson for a lack of focus.

'Zach Wilson, in what is about to be the biggest stretch of his career, decided it was a good time to take his girlfriend to Utah to apple and pumpkin pick and go to haunted houses,' he said in late October, comparing the Jets QB unfavorably to his counterparts around the league.

Not everything has been Wilson's fault. The same offensive line that struggled to protect Rodgers hasn't gotten any better, due to a rash of injuries at several positions.

And Saleh, Doulas, and even Rodgers have steadfastly defended Wilson, insisting that he is making some strides, even if they aren't always visible.

'It's not all on him,' Saleh said. 'But there are things he needs to be better at.'

Things were at their worst in Sunday's loss to Buffalo when Wilson was benched in favor of Boyle after completing just 7 of 15 passes.

And as if that wasn't bad enough, CBS cameras caught Wilson tripping over the 10-yard-line on his way to the huddle in Buffalo, immediately inspiring a wave of memes across social media.

Now 11-20 as a starter in his career, Wilson has lost support among fans and pundits, many of whom seem to be calling for his ouster. Even Boomer Esiason, a former MVP who once struggled after being acquired by the Jets in 1993, believes Douglas should simply release Wilson.

'This kid here has not figured out anything,' Boomer said on his WFAN radio show. 'I mean, it is unbelievable that he hasn't even grown an inch. I wouldn't put that kid out in front of the home fans [on Friday against Miami]. They should probably just wake up this morning and say, 'It's not working.'

'He serves no purpose on this team right now. None. No backup purpose, nothing. They should just release him, let him go realize they made a mistake.'

The Jets didn't release Wilson, but instead demoted to third on the depth chart, while giving Boyle the nod for Friday's game against Miami.

Wilson, for his part, said he understands the decision.

'I don't think I was scapegoated. Absolutely not,' he said Tuesday. 'You've got to look at the situation. We're not scoring touchdowns. Regardless of what I'm doing, my job as a quarterback is to help us score points. I can sit here and say I've had a bunch of growth and tremendous whatever this year, but if you're not scoring touchdowns, it doesn't matter. It really doesn't. And I get that.'