Quarterback Aaron Rodgers had to exit the game due to a season-ending Achilles tear, confirmed by Tuesday's MRI. New York Jets coach Robert Saleh expressed his support for Zach Wilson as the new starting quarterback and playfully mocked those who believe the team's playoff hopes are over.

"It's not good," Saleh said. “I  don't know why people are trying to put an obituary under our team name.”

Rodgers sustained an injury on the Jets' fourth snap of the new season and was subsequently put on injured reserve. He is scheduled to undergo Achilles surgery. Saleh did not disclose a specific timeline but suggested that they aim for the four-time MVP, who was the centerpiece of their high-profile offseason, to remain with the team during his rehabilitation.

After the devastating injury, there were extensive talks about potential replacements. While there's an expectation that the Jets might bring in a veteran quarterback, Saleh emphasized that Wilson is now the team's established starting quarterback and they have no plans to bring in anyone to compete with the former first-round pick.

"This is Zach's team and we're rolling with Zach, I do want to make it very clear: Zach's our quarterback," Saleh said.

Wilson, who faced difficulties last year and was twice moved down from the starting position, will make his 23rd career start on Sunday against the undefeated Dallas Cowboys. Tim Boyle, a journeyman quarterback, will be elevated from the practice squad to serve as the primary backup for the game.

The Jets had a grand strategy to allow the 24-year-old Wilson some development time under Rodgers before returning him to the starting role. However, things began to change just 4 minutes and 4 seconds into Monday night's 22-16 overtime victory against the Buffalo Bills.

As Rodgers tried to evade defensive end Leonard Floyd by pivoting, his left leg was firmly anchored in the turf, resulting in a ruptured Achilles tendon. In slow motion, it was evident that the injury occurred in the same left calf that he had previously injured during OTAs, and the sound was unmistakable as he was tackled.

The Jets, who traded for Rodgers and built their season around him, were hit with a devastating setback. Given his age at 39 and the severity of his injuries, the outlook for his future with the team is now uncertain.

Before Monday night, the former Green Bay Packers star had repeatedly stated his intention to keep playing. He has an existing contract that extends until 2025, and by accepting a voluntary $35 million pay reduction in August, he secured a total of $75 million in guaranteed earnings. For this season, he will collect $37 million, all of which is guaranteed.

"As you guys can imagine, he's down," Saleh said. "I'll let him answer those questions. I didn't get into the future of what he's expecting or what he's thinking. I think that's a conversation, tactfully, left for another day. But he's, as you can imagine, with everything that he's invested in this, he's obviously a little disappointed."

The Jets, who initially had Super Bowl aspirations for the season, are now turning to the quarterback they benched during the offseason. Wilson, who spent the past few months learning from Rodgers, was expected to have a "reset" season. The idea was that by relieving him of the pressure of starting, he could focus on improving his foundational skills. However, things took a turn when, after a poor showing against the New England Patriots last season, he refused to take responsibility for the loss during his postgame press conference, sparking controversy. As a result, he was benched just two days later.

Wilson's performance was up and down after stepping in for Rodgers on the opening drive, completing 14 of 21 passes for 140 yards. In the fourth quarter, he managed to bring the team back from a 10-point deficit with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson, although he did make a costly interception by throwing into tight coverage.

In five of his first six starts in the previous season, Wilson managed to secure victories, even though he threw for fewer than 155 yards in three of those wins.

The NFL has been engaging in discussions about the new turf field at MetLife Stadium and the overall safety of turf fields following Rodgers' injury. While talking to reporters in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay criticized the field's condition.

When asked if the field was responsible for the injury, Saleh replied, "No. If it was a noncontact injury, I think that'd be something to discuss, obviously. But that was kind of a forcible [injury]. I think that was trauma induced. I do know the players prefer grass and there's a lot invested in those young men."