Zach Wilson did his best this week to downplay facing his boyhood idol Aaron Rodgers when the New York Jets visit the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. But Sunday, the day of the big game, Wilson’s dad didn’t hold back.

“Dreams do come true!” Mike Wilson tweeted, hours before kickoff in Green Bay:

The quarterbacks did meet last season when the Jets and Packers held joint practices. Rodgers came away impressed with Wilson, then a rookie No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the two remained in contact for a bit afterward.

“It was a great learning experience,” Zach Wilson said this week. “Just being able to talk with him was cool.”

But Sunday at the famed Lambeau Field, it won’t be a joint practice. This one counts. It will be a big test for Wilson, who’s still making his way as a 23-year-old in the NFL. He’ll need to keep his emotions in check, facing a perennial playoff team as well as his idol.

“It is really cool, right? Being on the same field with him is cool,” Zach Wilson said. “It’s probably like last year when we were playing Tampa Bay. It’s like ‘Wow! We’re playing against Tom Brady right now! I’ve been watching this guy since I was born, which is kind of crazy.’ I’m sure it’ll be the same kind of thing in this game.”

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As his dad mentioned, Wilson not only idolized Rodgers, he has studied the future Hall of Famer. Their skill sets are similar. Each has a big arm and the ability to make incredible off schedule plays. Wilson is still learning to be as accurate as Rodgers and to trust in the simple play, something the Green Bay legend has mastered.

“I’ve been watching him since I was a little kid, try to replicate the way he throws, the way he plays the game,” Wilson said. “I like the way he plays within the offense and outside the offense.”

Zach Wilson added that he couldn’t have ever predicted playing against Rodgers in an NFL game. But that will happen Sunday.

Dreams do come true.