New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson warms up before an NFL preseason football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 27, 2021, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Zach Wilson returns to Utah after first NFL season with New York Jets

Former BYU quarterback and New York Jets franchise cornerstone Zach Wilson is officially no longer a rookie, finishing his first NFL season in the Big Apple and returning home to Utah this month to begin the offseason.

Wilson posted a 55.6% completion rate, nine touchdowns and 2,334 yards in his first pro season. The Jets pieced together a pair of wins against two playoff teams, the Bengals and Titans, but Wilson admits his rookie season was not as successful as he would have hoped.

Wilson tweeted, “Not satisfied with where we ended up in the standings, but I’m proud of this group of guys for continuing to fight every single snap week in and week out.”

Josh Wilson, a BYU linebacker and younger brother to Wilson, also commented on his brother’s first NFL season.

“I thought his season went really well,” Josh Wilson said. “Obviously, things can always go better, but it was a lot of growth.”

Wilson was named Rookie of the Week three times during the season, including in week 16 when he set a Jets franchise record for the longest quarterback run: a 52-yard touchdown dash.

What comes next for Wilson now that the season is over? In an interview on BYU Sports Nation, Wilson said he will be in Utah for the next month or so, giving him plenty of time to relax and spend time with his family in Draper.

Josh Wilson said the family surprised Zach at the airport when he returned from New York and explained the bond the brothers and former BYU teammates have formed.

“Me and my brother are really close. We’re really good friends,” Josh Wilson said.

Josh and the rest of the Wilson family aren’t the only people Zach Wilson has reconnected with since returning to Utah. An Instagram post from Wilson on Jan. 15 showed Wilson and several of his former BYU teammates reunited at Top Golf in Midvale.

“Good to be back with the guys,” Wilson said in his post.

After spending some time with family in Utah, Wilson plans to travel around the country.

“I’m gonna go out to Miami for a little bit, probably California, maybe a little bit of Arizona as well,” Wilson said.

While much of his time during the season is spent on the East Coast, Wilson is still searching for a place to call his home base during the offseason.

“I’m really trying to find if it’s not Utah, where do I want to live?” Wilson said on Sports Nation. “Hopefully somewhere with warm weather.”

Wilson will get to enjoy his offseason until mid-April when he is expected to return for workouts with the Jets through mid-June. Then the players get their final six weeks of offseason time to visit with family, vacation and relax until they return at the end of July for training camp.

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