Jets' Woody Johnson Blasts Zach Wilson: 'We Didn't Have' a QB Behind Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson was not impressed with Zach Wilson's performance in the wake of the season-ending injury quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered in Week 1 of the 2024 campaign.

"You need a backup quarterback," Johnson told reporters Thursday, per ESPN's Rich Cimini. "We didn't have one last year."

As the Jets' offense stagnated, Wilson was benched during a Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills in favor of third-string quarterback Tim Boyle.

When asked if the Jets would be looking for a new backup quarterback this season, Johnson answered affirmatively, according to Cimini.

The Jets' offseason acquisition of the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback on a two-year, $75 million, fully guaranteed deal was meant to make the New York team a playoff contender for the first time since 2010.

Rodgers only ended up playing 94 seconds for the Jets before tearing his Achilles tendon.

When asked what it was like to see Rodgers hurt in Week 1, Johnson said, "What does it feel like having your arm chopped off? That's about it."

Wilson started nine straight games in Rodgers' absence, in which he recorded an underwhelming 5:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 58.67 pass completion rate.

But the Jets quickly learned Wilson wasn't the only problem with an offense that beat out only the Carolina Panthers with close to an NFL low of 268.6 offensive yards per game. After two straight losses under Boyle, the Jets turned back to Wilson to start in Week 13.

Wilson responded with his best game of the season against the Houston Texans to lead the Jets to their first victory in six games.

He missed the last three games of the season with a concussion, and the 7-10 Jets missed the playoffs for the 13th straight season in what is currently the NFL's longest active drought.

Wilson still has one year remaining under a $11.1 million cap hit on the four-year deal he signed with New York in 2021. The Jets are expected to try and trade him this offseason, according to The 33rd Team's Ari Meirov.