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Why are they big news today?
The Jets are 4-8, essentially out of the playoff race.
Yet, they go viral again.
One of the top stories on NFL.com today, Headline – “Jets’ Robert Saleh: QB Zach Wilson ‘wants the ball’ but I’m not ready to name starter for Week 14.”
One of the top stories today on ESPN.com – “Jets’ Saleh: Zach Wilson wants to play but QB call still TBD.”
These stories stem from this report: “[Wilson] is hesitant to step back into the role, multiple team sources said Monday,” reported Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
It flat-out amazes me when sports reporters have “multiple team sources” on a story like this.
That is reporting on the highest level.
I can tell you, doing this a long time, it’s hard to get one source on a story like this, let alone “multiple.”
While I’m amazed at this level of reporting, I don’t understand why you can’t put a number on it.
If you were reporting about a game, and a QB had four touchdown passes, would you report that the QB had “multiple touchdown passes” or put the number on it? Probably put the number on it.
So why do some reporters say “multiple sources” instead of two, three, four, five, or whatever?
If you believe the veracity of this story, and that the reporters had “multiple team sources” telling them this about Wilson, then the Jets have a lack of institutional control in their organization.
Why would “multiple team sources” tell anybody this? How does it benefit the team?
But perhaps, sometimes, reporters use the “term sources” but some might be outside the building, like an agent, but they are called a “team source.”
Why would Wilson supposedly feel this way?
According to Russini, Wilson is worried about getting injured.
Russini is a nice woman, who I have met a few times, and works very hard, but on December 28, 2019, she reported the Jaguars told Head Coach Doug Marrone he would be fired following Jacksonville’s (5-10) season finale.
It didn’t happen. Morrone was retained.
Robert Saleh was asked about this blockbuster report in his press conference today.
“Let’s be clear, if he were reluctant to play, he wouldn’t be here,” Saleh said. “The young man wants the ball, he wants to start.”
Let’s be honest, this story is a PR nightmare for the Jets and Wilson.
They can deny it, like Saleh did, but it’s out there.
What is that old saying, “A story is halfway around the world before the truth has got it’s boots on.”
I’m paraphrasing there, but you get the idea.
How does this story make Wilson look like a competitor to future suitors if he leaves the Jets?
Terrible.
How does this story make Wilson look to his teammates, especially his offensive lineman, that he is afraid to get hurt?
Terrible.
There is no way around it, this story from “The Athletic” creates a PR mess.
Keep in mind, “The Athletic” is struggling, and has unfortunately had a lot of layouts the last couple of years.
There is tremendous pressure on their reporters to break stories.
They seem to come up with a doozy here, and it is being quoted all over the place.
And it’s kind of strange for a 4-8 team to be getting this kind of attention.
But wait until tomorrow, when Aaron Rodgers talks to the guy in the tank top.
The 4-8 team will be all over the internet again.
December 4, 2023
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