Tim Boyle will be starting at quarterback for the Jets against the Dolphins on Friday and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett got a chance to weigh in on the change at a press conference on Wednesday.
Hackett worked with Boyle when both men were in Green Bay earlier in their careers and he said Boyle has “an unbelievable knowledge of the system” that the Jets are running on offense.
“I think his command of the system and understanding is something that we really love,” Hackett said.
Boyle appeared in 11 games with the Packers, but never made a start. He made three starts for the Lions in 2021 and threw six interceptions against three touchdowns and he had a 1:13 touchdown-to-interception ratio in three seasons at Connecticut before improving to 13:11 in his lone season at Eastern Kentucky. Hackett was asked about how those results factor into his evaluation of Boyle’s readiness for the job.
“I don’t really look back at that,” Hackett said. “It’s one of those things for us, he’s done everything that we’ve asked. Like I said his preparation is amazing and his understanding is amazing. And now we get a chance to go out there and test it and see how he responds. When it comes to stats, there’s so many different ways to look at numbers. Good, bad. There are people throughout this league that have been very, very good and one of the best ever. And then, all those same people, are not as good. That fluctuates. There are so many things, that’s why this game is so great, so many different things that change that. Personnel. Situations. So many different things.”
It would be easier to feel trepidatious about turning to Boyle if the alternative wasn’t sticking with Zach Wilson, but his history says there’s no guarantee that the Jets are going to see their offense take a step forward under new management.