Advice Jets' Zach Wilson received from Panthers' Adam Thielen

Veteran Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen spent time speaking with New York Jets backup quarterback Zach Wilson following this past Saturday's preseason game involving the two clubs. 

"Go have some fun this year," Thielen told Wilson during a chat filmed for the second episode of the summer edition of HBO's "Hard Knocks" program released on Tuesday, as shared by Andrew Crane of the New York Post. "Stay in it, man. Don’t let other people say who you are. Just go and fricken prove it. You’re a hell of a player. Just believe it." 

The second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Wilson struggled mightily last season and was benched on multiple occasions by head coach Robert Saleh. 

Saleh said in January he wanted Wilson to "get away from this game" and "just rest" after the campaign, and the Jets then landed future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in April. 

Rodgers has since taken Wilson under his wing, and the 24-year-old completed 14-of-20 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in the 27-0 victory over Carolina. 

Wilson is set to open the regular season as New York's primary backup and, thus, could be one hit or play away from replacing Rodgers at any point beginning with the Week 1 matchup versus the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 11.

"I know it’s tough, man," Thielen continued while speaking with Wilson. "This league’s tough, man. This league’s tough. But you just gotta fricken go prove it every day. Every day in practice. Every day, fricken, when you get a chance, just go prove it. You don’t have to talk about it." 

The massive pay cut Rodgers officially agreed to last month likely cements him as New York's QB1 through at least the 2024 season and leaves Wilson's future with the organization very much up in the air. 

For now, Wilson would do well to listen to proven players such as Thielen and Rodgers as the third-year pro works to prove himself to his current employer and, potentially, to any would-be buyers.