The Jets missed Trevor Lawrence, must decide the future of Sam Darnold and unleash John Wolford.
Who is John Wolford?
Before being put into action by Jared Goff’s thumb surgery to start and make his NFL debut in a game to be won for the Los Angeles Rams this week, Wolford was the quarterback the Jets dragged out of his upcoming life. with a private equity firm.
Three days before he was due to join Teall Capital in August 2018, Wolford, 25, signed with the Jets for the final week of the preseason after making a strong impression as a non-competitor in the spring rookie mini-camp. The ride lasted 10 days, including three practice sessions and a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, before being cut.
The odds are stacked against players who sign with an NFL team as a non-drafted rookie to fill out a 90-man roster that will eventually be reduced to 53. They’re still miniscule for players like Wolford – only deemed worthy for a three-day tryout and no contract after the 2018 NFL Draft.
So his short run behind Darnold and Josh McCown – which ended when the Jets decided to trade Wolford for free agent Davis Webb on their exhibition squad in 2018 – was already a form of over-performance considering where he started. Webb, the choice of the Giants and a probable one-time successor to Eli Manning, is part of the Buffalo Bills exhibition squad.
Wolford eventually started his job on Wall Street, but he couldn’t shake the football sugar and lightened up the short-lived Alliance of American Football. He threw 14 top league touchdown passes in eight games and caught the attention of the Rams.
After a year as the Rams’ No. 3 quarterback – who mimicked the next week’s opponent on the scout team – Wolford stumbled upon the depth chart when they failed to redraw the former first-round Blake Bortles. Goff has taken all 1,046 offensive snaps this season, but they are turning to Wolford – backed by the newly re-signed Bortles – to win and secure a playoff berth.
Again, who is John Wolford?
Of all the quarterbacks who made it through talented Florida, Wolford briefly held the state record in career passes (10,621), touchdown passes (126), total touchdowns responsible for (162), total offensive yardage (13,403), and completions (706), according to Jacksonville.com . His last game was a legendary 74-73 loss in the state playoffs.
Originally committed to East Carolina, where he is said to have headed Lincoln Riley’s offense – yes, the Oklahoma coach who was coveted for seemingly every NFL head coach vacancy – turned Wolford and led Wake Forest from the dregs of big college football to a bowl-game winner during his four years as a starter.
Wolford’s senior season was so good that social media pushed him as an underdog for the Heisman Trophy: #WhyNotJohn.
Rams fans ask – hoping? – the same in week 17.