New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson appears to have caught a fortunate break.
On Friday, the 2021 second overall pick in the NFL draft went down awkwardly with what appeared to be a non-contact knee injury.
It came in the first quarter of a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles when Wilson escaped the pocket and then planted his right leg to perform a juke move on a defender.
After the play, he came off the field limping and did not return.
Initially, it was feared that Wilson may have suffered an ACL tear, which would have ended his 2022 season.
This was feared by sports medicine expert David Chao, who goes by @ProFootballDoc on Twitter, that it was a season-ending injury.
Chao said on CBS Sports Radio that he along with his Sports Injury Central (SIC) team came to that thought after conducting an analysis.
SIC’s panel includes professional team doctors with more than 100 years of experience.
“We hope we are wrong, it’s just video and it’s first impressions,” Chao said.
However, he said “historically we have been 95% accurate when making calls like this. I hope this is the 5% we’re wrong.”
That left Jets fans in awe thinking of the worst-case scenario.
Meanwhile, those fears may have been quelled down for a bit after head coach Robert Saleh met with the media after the first preseason game.
He told reporters that initial tests seem to indicate that the ACL is “intact.”
And now Jets fans can breathe – at least for now.
The MRI reportedly today has revealed that Wilson sustained a torn meniscus and a bone bruise, according to reports.
He will have arthroscopic surgery and it is estimated to miss between two and four weeks.
However, ESPN insider Adam Schefter warned that doctors during the procedure could find his meniscus to be worse than feared – which would extend the timeline.
But nevertheless, this is seemingly good news for the Jets, considering the initial reactions to it.
In 2021, Wilson was forced to miss four games with a PCL strain on the same knee Wilson injured Friday.
The regular season begins on September 11 for the Jets, which will host the Baltimore Ravens at home.
While the hope is the 23-year-old will be ready by then – it looks like either way he will miss some time and his preseason might be over.
Earlier this week, the Jets got some bad news in regards to starting tackle Mekhi Becton, who is set to miss the entire season due to a fractured knee.
