Garrett Wilson signed a four-year, $130 million contract extension with the Jets in July.
Despite the Jets’ 0-4 record this season, the fourth-year receiver said he does not regret staying with the Jets despite the difficult start to the season.
“I would say that all of us in this room have had people that thought you should go about things a certain way, go do this, go chase that,” Wilson said. “But this is about me, right? And I gotta go home at night and feel good about the decisions I make and I love it, man.
“These people have bought into me since, since I was a college kid, not knowing, you know, what my next step was, as far as football, and the fan base has dove into me. I mean, this is where I wanna be, this is where I want to win. It’s not about just winning, it’s about where for me. It is about where did you dod at, what role do you play?
“I truly believe that because of the things that guys that have been around here have gone through, these last few years, and what we’re battling to get out of, it’ll make it that much more beautiful than stress. I don’t ever lose sight of and lose faith in what AG [Aaron Glenn], [Darren] Mougey, the staff, and everyone, and what their plan is.”
Since he was drafted by the Jets in 2022, the team has a 17-36 record. But he has been one of the top emerging receivers in the league during that time, after recording 306 catches, 3,560 yards, and 17 touchdowns.
Wilson has also played a key role in helping the Jets this season. He is fourth in the NFL in receptions (27) and has registered 311 yards and three touchdowns. But it hasn’t been enough.
The Jets have been plagued by penalties, committing several turnovers and an inconsistent passing game through four weeks. Their offense ranks 21st in total offense and is 19th in points scored (22.5).
Gang Green has lost three of its four games this season by six points or less. In last Monday’s 27-21 loss against the Dolphins, mistakes and penalties were the main culprits, as the Jets lost three fumbles and committed 13 penalties for 101 yards, which led to their 0-4 start.
Only one team has recovered from a 0-4 record to make the playoffs — the 1992 Chargers, who finished 11-5 that year. Wilson has always been a passionate player, but there was a time when some thought he wasn’t committed to remaining with the Jets.
But after Aaron Rodgers was released in March, one of the first orders of business for head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey after they came to the Jets was to work on extensions for Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner, who have become two of the faces of the franchise.
“This guy is like the ultimate competitor, he really is,” Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand said about Wilson. “He just wants to win so bad, and if everybody can get a little piece of that, which I think everybody is competing, but he’s on that next level of wanting to win and get this thing going in the right direction, which we are, but he just wants to win so bad.
“I love that about him. And his game right now, I think he’s leading the AFC in catches right now if I’m correct, but when the ball gets thrown to him, he’s catching it at a high clip. If it’s anywhere in the area, it’s going to be our ball. So, he’s continuing to do that, he’s continuing to feel more comfortable in the offense with the routes that we’re asking him to run and where we’re asking him to be.”
The Jets will have another opportunity to get their first victory of the year when they host the Cowboys on Sunday. Just like many of the players and coaches, Wilson is confident in Glenn’s plan that they can turn their season around.
“I feel like we’ve been building this thing,” Wilson said. “It’s kind of a new collection of teammates when this thing started and we’ve had a good amount of time together, but it’s still relatively the first quarter of the season.
“We’re going to keep getting better, is the way I see it. I just have faith in the plan that coach [Glenn] has proposed to us. Faith and my teammates, we’re gonna turn this thing around. We’re gonna get this thing rolling. And when it does, it’s gonna feel real good. I got all the confidence in the world in this group.”
