The New York Jets are officially going from an Aaron Rodgers-Zach Wilson quarterbacks room to Zach Wilson-Tim Boyle.
The team announced it was elevating Boyle from its practice squad to its active roster on Saturday, making him the backup quarterback behind Wilson against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
Boyle signed with the Jets in April after five seasons of working as a backup in the NFC North, starting his career as an undrafted rookie with the Green Bay Packers before spending time with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. The Jets released him before the season and signed him to the practice squad, and are now dressing him earlier than anyone could have expected.
Boyle saw his only non-garbage time work in 2021 with the Lions when Jared Goff missed three games due to an oblique injury and COVID-19. In three starts, Boyle posted 526 passing yards, a 64.9% completion rate, three touchdowns and six interceptions.
The Jets lost Rodgers for the season in Week 1 when the former Packers MVP tore his Achilles on his fourth snap of the game. Wilson entered the game and finished 14-of-21 for 140 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a wild 22-16 overtime win.
New York now faces the prospect of an entire season with Wilson under center, an outlook once considered so bleak they went out and traded for Rodgers. The 39-year-old Rodgers has already undergone surgery and wouldn’t rule out a return in time for the playoffs, but a 2024 return looms as much more likely.