The New York Jets are preserving their prized wide receiver for the 2026 season.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced that Garrett Wilson (knee) will not return in 2025 with three games left on the Jets’ schedule.
Wilson, who is on injured reserve, has not played for the Jets since Nov. 9, when he left early in the Jets’ game against the Cleveland Browns. He has missed the team’s last five games.
The knee issue has bothered Wilson for most of the year. Wilson previously missed two games with a knee injury from Weeks 7-8. He returned in Week 10 following the Jets’ Week 9 bye but immediately aggravated the injury.
New York’s 2022 first-round pick will see his 1,000-yard receiving streak come to an end after hitting the prestigious benchmark in three consecutive seasons to begin his career. It’s a frustrating end to a season that started off promisingly for the Ohio State product.
Through five healthy games, Wilson had caught 33 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns. He was averaging career-highs in receptions per game (6.6) and receiving yards per game (76.4), and was on pace for a career-high of 14 receiving touchdowns.
Despite his extended absence, Wilson still leads the Jets with 395 receiving yards this season, a testament to how weak the Jets’ passing game has been. However, Wilson’s injury has yielded extra opportunities for Adonai Mitchell, a 2024 second-round selection who was acquired by New York in the Sauce Gardner trade. Over the Jets’ last four games, Mitchell has racked up 17 receptions for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Wilson signed a four-year, $130 million contract extension with the Jets prior to the 2025 season, which includes $90 million guaranteed. With the 25-year-old superstar playmaker locked up for the long haul, the Jets have made the wise decision not to risk his health across three relatively meaningless games to close out a lost season.