New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers addressed the recent rumors surrounding teammate Zach Wilson.

Rodgers said Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show there was an internal effort to "assassinate someone's character" when The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Jeff Howe reported Wilson was "reluctant" to assume the starting job again:

The four-time MVP went on to throw his full support behind Wilson and praised the 2021 first-round pick's accountability.

"I don't want to speak for him because he's gonna get a chance this week to speak, and I'm gonna let him speak," Rodgers said. "I will tell you that I love the kid. I've spent a lot of time with him. I think he's an amazing young man."

Jets head coach Robert Saleh attempted to nip things in the bud shortly after the report surfaced. He told reporters Wilson "wouldn't be here" if he expressed any reservations about playing, adding the young signal-caller "wants the ball" and "believes he's the best quarterback in the room."

The story probably isn't going away, though, especially with Saleh so far declining to name a starter for Sunday's game against the Houston Texans.

Everyone involved tends to look a little worse when something like the rumor about Wilson gets out.

The expectation with any player is that they'll answer the call when the coach asks as long as they're healthy. That's especially true with somebody such as Wilson, who still has a lot to prove in the league.

However, this is a mess the Jets created for themselves. They left Wilson stuck in a sort of limbo from the moment it became clear they wanted Rodgers. New York had given up on him in the short term, and it couldn't plausibly say there was any sort of succession plan in place.

Saleh didn't do himself any favors when he not only benched Wilson but also moved him all the way down to the third string behind Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian. It's hard to blame Wilson too much for deciding he's had enough.

While Rodgers remains in his corner, it's difficult to see Wilson's time in the Big Apple extending beyond this season, though his $11.2 million salary cap hit won't make a separation easy.

With everything that has transpired this season, the Jets need a better insurance policy for Rodgers, and Wilson would benefit from a change of scenery.