LOCALS IN THE NFL

Jets’ Zach Wilson Enjoys ‘Fanboy’ Moment With Packers’ Aaron Rodgers

Aug 18, 2021, 6:38 PM

Zach Wilson - New York Jets...

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) warms up during New York Jets training camp on August 10, 2021 at the Atlantic Health Training Center in Florham Park, NJ (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

(Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

AP – Zach Wilson used to watch Aaron Rodgers on TV as a kid as often as he could and admired the Green Bay Packers quarterback from afar.

The youngster from Draper, Utah, wanted to play like Rodgers and modeled some of his game after him.

Wilson even drew some comparisons to Rodgers en route to being drafted No. 2 overall by the New York Jets in April.

Wilson got to chat with Rodgers on Wednesday, August 18 as the teams held the first of two joint practices ahead of their preseason game on Saturday, August 21.

“It’s like I want to do what he’s doing, but when you’ve got 16 years of experience, and the checks and the calls he’s making on the field,” Wilson said. “If I could spend more time with him and keep asking questions I would.”

Wilson acknowledged he had a bit of a fanboy moment while talking to the Packers quarterback.

“I’m a big fanboy too. We all have to kind of pretend like we’ve been there before. We’re enjoying just being out here and being able to talk to him,” Wilson said. “We’re all technically at the same level now — we’re all in the NFL — but we’re all still kind of like, ‘You know what? That’s Aaron Rodgers. That’s kind of crazy.'”

“Zach’s a good kid,” Rodgers said of meeting Wilson. “It’s fun to see him.”

New York’s second preseason contest is against the Packers on Saturday, August 21 at 2:25 p.m. (MDT). The game will broadcast on the NFL Network.

Wilson and the Jets open the regular season against the Carolina Panthers on September 12 at 11 a.m. (MDT). The game will broadcast on CBS.

Kyle Ireland is a Locals in the NFL Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Yards After College Podcast. Follow him on Twitter (@kyleireland) and Instagram (@kyleirelandksl).

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Jets’ Zach Wilson Enjoys ‘Fanboy’ Moment With Packers’ Aaron Rodgers