5 Things to Know About Zach Wilson’s Replacement

The New York Jets are ready to try something new at quarterback.

Head coach Robert Saleh announced on Monday that Zach Wilson had been benched and that the team was starting Tim Boyle at QB on Black Friday against the Miami Dolphins. The Jets (4-6) have lost three games in a row and rank 30th in the NFL in points per game. Saleh said New York’s offensive struggles aren’t entirely on Wilson, though the time had come to give someone else an opportunity to run the offense.

And that someone is a 29-year-old longtime backup. Boyle, in his first season with the Jets, was released by the franchise at the end of the preseason, then eventually landed on the team’s practice squad. The Jets signed Boyle to their roster after Aaron Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon in the season-opener. And now it’s Boyle’s turn to try to elevate a struggling Jets offense.

“I think a part of my strength is being able to get the ball out of my hands quick, and the decisiveness, I think, is a part of my game that I lean on,” Boyle told reporters Sunday night.

The Jets host the Dolphins (7-3) at 3 p.m. ET on Black Friday. Miami enters the game, which will air on Prime Video, as a 10-point favorite, according to Caesars Sportsbook.

Before kickoff, here are five things to know about the Jets’ new starting QB.

Playing Close to Home

Boyle grew up a little over 100 miles from MetLife Stadium, in Middlefield, Connecticut.

The Northeasterner won three straight Class LL state titles at Xavier High School, where he also earned Connecticut High School Coaches’ Association Player of the Year and first-team all-state honors. Boyle threw for nearly 2,500 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior and was viewed as a three-star prospect by 247Sports.

Boyle’s College Football Stats

After thriving while playing high school ball in his home state, Boyle stayed close to home to start his college football career. But things didn’t go as well.

The signal-caller threw one touchdown compared to 13 interceptions across three seasons at the University of Connecticut. Boyle then transferred to Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and enrolled at the school in spring 2016. The QB redshirted a season, then started 11 games—throwing for 2,134 yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions—for EKU during the 2017 season.

Boyle’s NFL Stats

Boyle signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2018 to kick off his professional football career. The 6-foot-4, 232-pound journeyman backup has also made stops with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears before signing with the Jets.

The 29-year-old will be the 16th different player to start at QB for the Jets in the last 15 years.

Going into the game, Boyle has three NFL starts to his name. All of those came in 2021 with the Detroit Lions. Boyle’s team went 0-3 in those games and the QB threw three touchdowns compared to six interceptions. Overall, the Connecticut-born quarterback has thrown for 607 yards, three touchdowns and nine interceptions across the 18 total NFL games he has appeared in since 2019.

Boyle most recently relieved Wilson in last weekend’s 32-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He went 7-of-14 passing for 33 yards and a pick.

“The main thing that stuck out was his confidence in the huddle,” Jets tight end Tyler Conklin said Monday of Boyle’s performance, via the team website. “He came in, commanded the huddle and was really decisive getting the ball out of his hands. He got it out quick and stuck it out. In a small sample, I’d say he has confidence about him, he knows the offense.”

Aaron Rodgers’ Connection With Boyle

Boyle was a reserve quarterback behind Rodgers during his time with the Packers from 2018-20. Rodgers, of course, has also since made the move to the East Coast. And the offensive coordinator during part of that Green Bay stretch, Nathaniel Hackett, now calls plays for the Jets.

The four-time MVP said this week that he believes Boyle’s familiarity with Hackett’s system will be an advantage for his turn as a starter.

“I’m happy for Tim,” Rodgers said Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show. “Tim is a great dude … Tim has always been an expert of the offense and understood all the intricacies. Now he has to go out there and execute and do it at a high level.”

Boyle’s Contract With Jets

The Jets signed Boyle to a one-year, $1.155 million contract ahead of this season. That deal includes a $75,000 guarantee and a base salary of $1.08 million, according to Spotrac. Boyle carries a cap hit of nearly $900,000 for the Jets.