Joe Namath blasts struggling Jets QB Zach Wilson: 'I've seen enough'
Joe Namath knows what it means to win with the New York Jets.
The Hall of Fame quarterback says that current quarterback Zach Wilson isn't the answer for the franchise he spent more than a decade with.
"I've seen enough of Zach Wilson, all right," Namath said Monday on ESPN New York's "The Michael Kay Show" after the Jets lost to the New England Patriots 15-10 at home. "I've seen enough. Has quick feet, can throw a little bit, but I don't believe what's going on up there."
Namath, who captured the Jets' only Super Bowl victory to cap the 1968 season, said that he is jaded by head coach Robert Saleh's continued belief in the third-year quarterback. Saleh expressed confidence in Wilson multiple times after four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers was lost for the season in Week 1 to a torn Achilles.
The Super Bowl 3 MVP suggested that Wilson should spend time as a backup learning the game and was not worthy of being the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, especially after a sack against the Patriots where he fell without being touched.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
"I'm saying I don't believe in him," Namath said. "I don't believe he has a future as a good player and I think they made a wrong choice when they drafted him. I feel that way. He has some athletic ability, but you gotta have something up here that's going on whenever you're studying, reading, playing out there."
Namath also called out offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Before the season started, the assistant coach was criticized by Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton for his one-season performance in the same role.
"How many months ago was that to learn the offense? How many months ago was that? C'mon. Now, Aaron, he got hurt. OK. Well, why do you think you have backups there for? They're ready to go." Namath said. "They're supposed to be ready to go. We're looking at an offense that just doesn't play well. You've got an offensive coordinator that doesn't seem to be calling the right plays. I just think for this fan, they need to make major changes from top to bottom."
He said that "top to bottom" would include firing Saleh. The third-year head coach has emphasized the strength of the team culture despite starting 1-2 and only scoring 10 points in each loss.
"How can a coach say, 'The locker room's together?'" Namath continued. "How many teams have we been on? You're telling me there aren't some cats on the defensive side saying, 'Whoa, man. What's wrong with you?' There's not all harmony in the locker roomm and if there is, they need to get rid of the people. You gotta get people in there that are competitors and wanna fight to win."
Namath said he hasn't met the 24-year-old Wilson, who last year Saleh said he'd develop "through hell or high water," but has made his conclusions anyways.
"I only know what I see out there," Namath said. "It's hard to tell what's going on between a guy's ears and the mind does play a major role on your team, in your team and every individual in your team. Whatever position they're playing, they have a duty, they have plays to carry out and they have to do them with regularity and he's far from that."
