Garrett Wilson, a Former College Teammate, Is Still Taking It in That Theyre Playing Together Again

Ethan Greenberg

Jets QB Justin Fields and WR Garrett Wilson have not played together since the College Football National Championship game that capped the 2020 season -- Ohio State lost, 52-24, to Alabama -- but Wilson feels they're picking up where they left off.

"It's someone that I'm familiar with, someone that I have a great relationship with, someone that I love just watching play since I met [him]," Wilson said last week of the Green & White's new signal-caller. "I didn't think we'd get this opportunity on this level, so it's exciting. I'm still taking it in all the way. It's cool."

Wilson's first memory of Fields is watching him rip through the Florida Atlantic defense for a 51-yard rushing touchdown on Fields' first play at Ohio State when Wilson was a freshman. Six years later, the receiver has enjoyed watching his Jets teammates get to know his college quarterback throughout the offseason program.

"My guys [have been coming] up to me like, 'Man, that's my guy,' " Wilson said. "It's super cool. He's got a different way about him. He's more quiet when it comes to getting to know people. It's not going to be that first day, but when it does click, it's like, man, this dude's super cool."

He added: "He's got a different way about it. Very commanding in the huddle like, 'Hey, we're messing up the turbo, we're messing up this, so let's get on that.' But you get it from a standpoint of you're not degrading anybody, not going put it in a certain way. It's just another dude kickin' it with you and that's the coolest thing about Justin."

Fields' quiet leadership has been noticed by players and coaches that have spoken with the media throughout the spring. Left guard John Simpson, entering his second year with the Jets, thinks Fields will come out of his shell, metaphorically, come the regular season.

"It's been great, man," Simpson said. "Good dude. He's quiet, but he's one of those guys that's going to speak with his play. I'm excited to see him play, for sure."

Fields' ability to scramble and extend plays may require more from Simpson and the rest of the offensive line, which Simpson is on board with.

"You have to block longer, and ain't nothing wrong with that," he said. "You got a to block as long as it takes for him to get the ball out of his hand. That's our job at the end of the day."

Not all quarterbacks are vocal leaders like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, and Jets head coach Aaron Glenn isn't worried about Fields' leadership.

"Yes, he is a quiet voice, but that quiet voice doesn't mean that people don't hear him," Glenn said. "You know, people see the way he works. That speaks more than what you say and I like that about him because he's himself, he's authentic and he's not going to change for anybody. I'd rather have that than somebody that's fake."