Giants icon blasts Jets' Zach Wilson after glaring report

New York Giants icon and CBS Sports NFL analyst Tiki Barber blasted New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson after it was reported that Wilson "is reluctant to step back into the starting role" following his benching that occurred during the Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 19. 

"It is hard enough just to get here," Barber said during Monday's edition of the WFAN "Evan and Tiki" program, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. "It is a complete other level to actually have some level of success…and then there is staying here. And the only way to stay here in the NFL is to go above and beyond, even when it sucks. Whatever they ask you to do, you go do. For Zach Wilson to allegedly have some doubt about wanting to play should invalidate him from being in the NFL. Period." 

Wilson, the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, was benched multiple times last season and was replaced atop the depth chart this past spring by future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. The 24-year-old failed to cement himself as the Jets' QB1 after Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles in Week 1, and ESPN stats show that Wilson entered Monday ranked last in the league among qualified players with a 30.3 adjusted QBR on the season. 

After Jets head coach Robert Saleh sat Wilson yet again this fall, one-time NFL Most Valuable Player Boomer Esiason suggested the organization should release the third-year pro who is under contract through the 2024 season. It sounds like Barber agrees with Esiason's take. 

"If you’re gonna tell your team - I don’t care how they treated you - if you’re gonna tell the team that employs you, and is trying to give you another opportunity, 'No thanks,' you have sacrificed your right to be in this league," Barber added about Wilson.

Either Wilson, Tim Boyle or Trevor Siemian will start for the 4-8 Jets when they host the 7-5 Houston Texans this coming Sunday. As of Monday afternoon, oddschecker listed the Jets as 4.5-point underdogs for that contest.