Zach Wilson was recently benched by the New York Jets. The QB led the team to a winning record, but struggled from an individual standpoint throughout the 2022 season. However, it was revealed that Wilson has been dealing with a case of the yips since last year, per Dov Kleiman, Ian Rapoport, and Albert Breer.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the yips are defined as, “a state of nervous tension affecting an athlete (such as a golfer) in the performance of a crucial action.”

Zach Wilson is certainly not the first athlete to deal with the yips. One example is former MLB pitcher Jon Lester. Lester had no problem pitching the baseball. However, he struggled when attempting to pickoff runners on the bases. He had the physical ability to make the throw, but the yips gave him trouble from a mental standpoint.

According to Ian Rapoport, Zach Wilson was struggling to make simple throws. The Jets tried to help the quarterback by looking at his mechanics, but it became clear that he was facing a mental battle of sorts.

Zach Wilson recently addressed the Jets' decision to bench him.

“This is going to be a good opportunity, a humbling opportunity, for me to put my head down and work harder,” Wilson said.

Wilson once showed promise and seemed to have a high ceiling. But his shortcomings on the field have caused people around the NFL world to question his overall ability. It will be interesting to see if Zach Wilson can work through the yips and find his rhythm at the QB position.