Geno Smith and Sam Darnold Escaped the Jets QB Purgatory—Can Zach Wilson Be Next?
There’s a trend in New York Jets (of New Jersey) quarterback development over the last 12 years—and it’s not what you think.
In 2013, the Jets drafted Geno Smith 39th overall to serve as a backup and eventual successor to Mark Sanchez. Geno stole the starting job (In no small part due to Sanchez suffering a season-ending injury in the 2013 preseason)... and then flamed out, like so many Jets quarterbacks before him. He was released in 2017 after a rocky tenure, but his story didn’t end there.
He bounced around the league—backing up Eli Manning with the Giants and Philip Rivers with the Chargers—before landing in Seattle in 2019. When Russell Wilson injured his finger in 2021, Geno stepped in and showed enough to convince Pete Carroll the team could move on from their Super Bowl Champion Quarterback.
In 2022, Geno Smith shocked the world. He threw for 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns, and just 11 interceptions, winning Comeback Player of the Year and helping the Seahawks reach the playoffs.
Suddenly, the question became: “Was Geno the problem? Or are the Jets just that bad?”
Then came Sam Darnold. Drafted 3rd overall in 2018 by the Jets, Darnold flashed early promise—but ultimately fizzled out. He was traded to Carolina in 2021 – another location where Quarterback careers go to die.
In 2023, Darnold signed with the 49ers, beat out Trey Lance for the backup role, and in 2024—starting for the Vikings—had the best year of his career:
4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and only 12 interceptions.
And again, the same question: “Was Sam the problem? Or are the Jets just that bad?”
Now, it’s Zach Wilson’s turn. Drafted 2nd overall in 2021, his Jets tenure was a carbon copy of the others: a couple of promising moments (like that Sunday Night Football game against the Chiefs where he threw for 245 yards and 2 TDs), but ultimately too inconsistent to keep the job.
Even Aaron Rodgers looked like a shell of himself last season behind that offensive line and scheme. Wilson served as the emergency QB for the Broncos in 2024 but never saw the field.
Now? He’s backing up the injury-prone Tua Tagovailoa in Miami.
If Tua goes down (and we all hope he doesn’t), Wilson could finally get a shot to prove he’s not the bust everyone thinks he is.
After all:
Geno Smith is entering 2025 as the Raiders’ starter—once again under Pete Carroll.
Sam Darnold is prepping to start for the Seahawks in 2025.
And Zach Wilson? He just might be next in line to break out of Jets QB Purgatory.
Personally, I’m pulling for Zach Wilson. Everyone seems to want this guy to fail—but he’s still standing. He hasn’t backed down yet. Maybe, in a better system, with a little luck, he can thrive.
Unless he ends up in the NFC West.
In that case? I hope the purgatory continues.
Go Hawks.