Zach Wilson dropped a truth bomb Tuesday about how NFL players are treated by critics on social media after news broke that his New York Jets teammate Mekhi Becton is likely out for the season with a knee injury.

“They don’t look at us like we’re real people,” Wilson said.

The quarterback provided the straightforward comment after coach Robert Saleh earlier lashed out against those who have claimed Becton is out of shape and an injury-prone player.

“These are young men and I think sometimes with social media in this world we dehumanize these athletes in the worst way imaginable,” Saleh said. “And Mekhi has walked into this building and taken every single punch you can get from every which way. He shows up and he works his tail off and he grinds every single day. He comes into camp and he’s fighting to get himself into shape and he’s got videos of him vomiting and people are throwing shade and … he’s fighting for his family, for himself, for his teammates, for the organization, for this fan base and then everyone wants to drop him like a wet rag.”

Saleh then made clear how much the Jets support their injured starting right tackle.

“We love Mekhi. We appreciate everything he’s done and his ride is not over. … If you’re a fan that wants to support him, you’re more than welcome. Otherwise just keep moving.”

Whether the critics took Saleh’s message to heart is debatable. But Becton reacted in a tweet shortly after his coach spoke with reporters Tuesday:

Wilson took the baton from Saleh and ran with the message about critics on social media.

“They look at it like a game,” Wilson said. “I’m the Jets quarterback, I’m not Zach Wilson. That’s kind of how the whole thing goes. You start to have tough skin as a football player and that’s why you keep those who truly care about you tight. And you understand that we have each other’s back here. It doesn’t matter what anybody else says.”

Wilson knows from experience. He has been the target of social media attacks after a poor rookie season in the NFL. And salacious claims were made and debated on social media about his personal life after an ex-girlfriend’s Instagram post.

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Becton confronted his legion of critics during minicamp. He met the media wearing a T-shirt with derogatory comments he has been called, like “fat” and “lazy.” He then said he’d make his critics “eat their words.”

That won’t happen this season after Becton sustained a fracture in his right kneecap during practice Monday. The brutal revelation that’s he’s likely headed for surgery and done for the season comes after he dislocated the same kneecap in Week 1 last season and did not play another down. He also missed time in 2020, his rookie season, because of injury and illness.

“It sucks man … and it hurts even more for him because of what he’s been battling back from since last year and everything,” Wilson said. “So, we have to comfort him and I have to make sure I’m there for him and anything he needs”

Becton is paid to protect his quarterback’s back. But now it’s the QB who has the lineman’s back.