MIAMI GARDENS \u2014 It was once thought Zach Wilson could be a longtime rival quarterback to the Miami Dolphins.<\/p>\n
He was drafted by the New York Jets at 21 years old with the No. 2 pick in 2021.<\/p>\n
Now, in 2025, he\u2019s with the Dolphins as a backup to starter Tua Tagovailoa<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Sunday, he\u2019ll always be one snap away from playing against his former team at MetLife Stadium when the Dolphins face the Jets.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt would be awesome,\u201d Wilson told the South Florida Sun Sentinel this week. \u201cIt would be great to obviously go out there and play. You\u2019d love to play against anybody. I got to make sure I\u2019m always ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n Wilson struggled over three seasons in New York as he had to develop into a professional quarterback quickly in a tough situation. He threw more interceptions than touchdowns in each of his first two years.<\/p>\n When the team went to Mike White over him late in his second season, Jets players publicly supported White over the passer drafted so highly only a year and a half earlier. In 2023, the Jets brought in future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers deep into his career to supplant Wilson, but Wilson was thrown right back in after Rodgers tore his Achilles on his fourth play with the team. Wilson was benched in favor of Tim Boyle later that season.<\/p>\n Sunday\u2019s return to MetLife won\u2019t be his first since parting ways with the franchise after that 2023 season. He spent 2024 as the third-string quarterback with the Denver Broncos, and they won that matchup early last season.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, haven\u2019t lost to them yet,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cSo, hope we can do the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Wilson, who was a calculated acquisition<\/a> to back up the oft-injured Tagovailoa this season by Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, hasn\u2019t been needed yet due to injury. Tagovailoa has remained healthy.<\/p>\n While he hasn\u2019t played meaningful snaps since departing from New York, he feels he has grown since that time.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot to do with just my play, my ability to handle the media stuff,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cIf I could go back now, which obviously I learned through the fire just how to handle the situation \u2014 and the amount of football I know now, I wish I could\u2019ve known then when I was actually on the field. It\u2019s different. You get thrown into the fire when you\u2019re learning.\u201d<\/p>\n Said McDaniel on Friday about Wilson\u2019s growth: \u201cI\u2019ve seen a guy that has been through stuff that doesn\u2019t allow his confidence to be dictated by one or two throws, and because of that, he\u2019s able to use his skillset and be convicted on throws more often and sooner.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve watched him immerse himself, his teammates have belief in him, and each and every week, he really challenges the defense on things we need to see and areas of the field that need to be covered. I\u2019ve seen a guy that\u2019s come out the other side of a tough situation, and in situations like that in life, if it doesn\u2019t kill you, it makes you stronger. So I\u2019ve seen a stronger Zach than even when he got here.\u201d<\/p>\n Wilson has no hard feelings toward the Jets, from the top on down, although the franchise has mostly been overhauled in the two years since he last played for them.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of good people in the organization that I hope I get to go see, but for the most part, happy to be where I\u2019m at right now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n With New York sending away franchise cornerstones like defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner at the past trade deadline, the number of familiar faces only diminishes for Wilson.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s only like eight or nine left on the entire roster when I was checking earlier,\u201d he said. \u201cObviously, (wide receiver) Garrett (Wilson), (running back) Breece (Hall) and a couple of the defensive guys. Played with Allen (Lazard) for a year. Even a lot of the support staff, a couple of the physical trainers I liked over there. I really liked those guys.\u201d<\/p>\n Since his departure, Wilson has gotten to see how things are done with different teams.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery organization has its own thing,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cI thought going to Denver after being (with New York) was a way different experience. Those guys are having a lot of success right now. I think they do a good job with their culture. Same thing with here. I think our ownership here is awesome and does a great job, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n In Miami, Wilson has been the backup active for all but one of the team\u2019s 12 games.<\/p>\n When the Dolphins played in Cleveland in October, McDaniel made the odd decision to move rookie Quinn Ewers<\/a> ahead of Wilson the night before the game but then go back to Wilson as the backup from then on.<\/p>\n