Jets HC Robert Saleh reveals Zach Wilson’s comments damaged morale in locker room

The New York Jets announced on Wednesday morning that they had benched quarterback Zach Wilson ahead of this week's game against the Chicago Bears. This comes just days after the second-year quarterback made questionable remarks after the team's 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots. A game which was tied 3-3 with less than ten seconds to go in regulation.

After the game, Wilson was asked whether he felt as if the offense let the defense down after only allowing three points. In a matter-of-fact way, he said, "No." The tone didn't sit well with many. Especially since the quarterback didn't appear or believe he needed to take accountability for his offense's inability to get more points on the board.

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh spoke to the media after the decision was made to bench Wilson. He was asked if his quarterback had lost the locker room, in regards to respect. He said that there is some irritation among the other players at the moment. He also clarified that the other players don't have any hate towards Zach Wilson:

"Maybe there's a little irritation at the moment (...) but I don't think there's hate."

Saleh also emphasized that Wilson's career isn't over and that the team plans on getting him back onto the field later this season:

"Zach’s career here is not over, the intent, the full intent, is to make sure Zach gets back on the football field at some point this year."

Backup quarterback Mike White will get the start against the Bears and veteran Joe Flacco will be the backup. Wilson's performance last week against the Patriots also left a lot to be desired. He completed just nine out of 22 passes and had just 77 passing yards in total.

Can the New York Jets still make the playoffs?

According to the New York Times, the New York Jets' chances of making the playoffs dropped from 65% to 52% after the loss to the New England Patriots. New York and New England are now tied at 6-4 in the AFC East. The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are tied at 7-3, making the division title very much up for grabs.

As the team prepares to start Mike White in Zach Wilson's absence, a win against the Chicago Bears is a necessity to keep their playoff hopes alive. After the Bears, New York will face the Minnesota Vikings and then Buffalo Bills. Three straight losses will give the team an unlikely 10% chance of a playoff berth. The Jets haven't made the playoffs since 2010.

It will be interesting to see if the Jets' offense sees any improvement without Zach Wilson under center. If White hits the ground running, there could really be a QB situation in New York.