NFL Rumors: Aaron Rodgers is having to recruit Zach Wilson to save Jets season

The New York Jets' chances to contend this season took a hit in the first game when quarterback Aaron Rodgers ruptured his Achilles. The team went 4-3 even with Zach Wilson taking over but went on a five-game skid since then. Wilson was benched for Tim Boyle, who was then benched this past week for Trevor Siemian during their Week 13 game against the Atlanta Falcons.

At 4-8, what are the Jets to do, especially with Rodgers increasingly unlikely to return this season now that the Jets are out of playoff contention?

The Athletic's senior NFL insider Dianna Russini and senior reporter Zach Rosenblatt reported that the Jets wanted to have Wilson start at quarterback once again this season, but that the 2021 second-overall pick is "reluctant to stepping back in."

That is a wild situation for the Jets as their season is careening out of control. But Russini revealed some additional information.

Russini reports in a separate tweet that Rodgers reached out to Wilson about resuming the starting role, but the third-year quarterback was reluctant due to injury risk at the time.

Aaron Rodgers tried to convince Zach Wilson to resume Jets' starting QB role

As if the situation couldn't get any more weird, there was Jets head coach Robert Saleh's press conference on Monday.

While speaking with reporters, Saleh said he has yet to decide who will be the starting quarterback for the team's game against the Houston Texans. When discussing the report of Wilson being reluctant to play, Saleh said that the quarterback wouldn't be with the team if that were the case. The head coach also revealed that after speaking with Wilson about 30 minutes earlier, who he says expressed his desire to play again.

"Let's be clear, if he was reluctant to play, guys, he wouldn't be here," said Saleh. "I actually, coincidentally, just got done speaking with him. He came in about a half-hour ago and we had a really good conversation. The young man wants the ball, he wants to start, he believes he's the best quarterback in the room and the best quarterback for this team and the guy who gives us the best chance to win. And I'll tell you guys the same thing I told him, I appreciate it. I appreciate the fact that he wants to play. I'm just not there yet."

In 10 games this season, Wilson threw for 1,944 yards, six touchdowns, and seven interceptions while completing 59.2 percent of his passes.

WIlson was benched for Boyle in Week 12 against the Miami Dolphins. The offense didn't improve, and Boyle is known for his "Fail Mary" pass at the end of the first half that resulted in a pick six by Dolphins safety Jevon Holland. Boyle was benched during their game against the Falcons this past Sunday.

In two starts, Boyle completed 41-of-63 pass attempts for 327 yards and one touchdown, while throwing three interceptions.

It will remain to be seen if Wilson will start, but the reports of his reluctance add a wrinkle to the Jets' plans moving forward the rest of the way.