For a second time, Jets quarterback Zach Wilson has refuted allegations stating that he was reluctant to re-enter the team's starting lineup.
Wilson, who will make his return to the starting lineup Sunday against the Houston Texans, reiterated to the CBS Sports' production team that those reports were not true.
"He said that there was no truth to any of those moments," said CBS Sports sideline reporter Melanie Collins. Collins added that Wilson's goal for the remainder of the year is "to go out there with a smile on his face, have fun and just leave it all out on the field with his teammates that he has grown to love and care about so much over these last few seasons."
During the week, Jets head coach Robert Saleh also dismissed the rumors regarding Wilson and whether or not he wanted to re-enter the starting lineup. He also shared his reasoning behind giving Wilson another opportunity to start.
"Zach gives us our best change to win," Saleh said of Wilson. "Giving him another opportunity to go prove that. He was good. He's fired up. Like I said on Monday, he came into my office, he wants the ball. He's excited about getting this opportunity."
Tumultuous would be an appropriate word to sum up Wilson's time in New York. The former No. 2 overall pick has won just 11 of his 31 starts, has completed just 56.6 percent of his throws and has more interceptions (25) than touchdown passes (21). He is enjoying a career-high in completion percentage this season, however, and has only thrown seven interceptions in 321 pass attempts.
Adding to Wilson's plight was a recent report that he did not want another opportunity to start this season, a notion that Saleh refuted on Monday.
Wilson told reporters on Wednesday there was no truth to reportedly being reluctant to start again for the Jets, and that he was "frustrated" by the report, via SNY. Wilson also said he does not believe he ever said anything to anyone in the Jets locker room indicating that he didn't want to play.
Wilson is 3-6 in his nine starts this season. But poor play led Saleh to bench him in favor of Tim Boyle over the Jets' past two games. But Boyle didn't provide an upgrade at the position over that span, which apparently led to Wilson getting another chance.
While no one would confuse him for Aaron Rodgers, Wilson played well enough for the Jets to post a 4-3 record following a 13-10 win over the Giants on Oct. 29. But that win was followed by three straight losses that saw the offense score just 24 points. That led to Saleh making the switch to Boyle, who led the offense to just 21 points in losses to Miami and Atlanta.
It's now or never time for Wilson and the Jets, who need to beat Houston if they have any hopes at making the playoffs. Wilson will face a Texans secondary that is 26th in the NFL in passing yards allowed but is just second in touchdown passes allowed.
