Zach Wilson has been enjoying the best football of his career lately, but took his mind off the game by flying to Utah (his home state) with his girlfriend Nicolette Dellanno during the Jets’ bye week, but he still can. Resist picking up the pigskin!
On Saturday, the 24-year-old Gang Green quarterback and Dellano — a model based in New Jersey — at Cornbelly’s — a corn maze and pumpkin festival in Lehi — were photographed by Wilson’s mother Lisa on Instagram as the spooky season approached.
The couple posed in front of the venue’s sign, which was made of human skulls, as they coordinated the color combinations of the outfits. The former first-round pick was also recorded throwing a football by his mother at one point.
“Like we don’t get enough football,” she captioned her Instagram Story of her son scanning the field.
Wilson and the Jets are at .500 with a 3-3 record after an impressive win over the Eagles last week.
Zach Wilson and his girlfriend Nicolette Dellano at a Halloween festival in Utah on Saturday
Wilson, 24, was also caught throwing a football by his mother, Lisa, on her Instagram Story
Wilson during the Jets’ final home run — an impressive upset over the Eagles — at MetLife last week
The Jets’ No. 2 pick, who became a starter after Aaron Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles tendon in Week 1, threw for 186 yards in New York’s last appearance at MetLife Stadium, a 20-14 win against Philadelphia.
“This is a big win for us,” Wilson said after the game. “This is an incredible team that I think you guys saw, it was a good team on that side of the ball and those guys did a great job up front, they did a great job in the secondary, making it difficult for us , we easy.
“We needed that win and I thought all the guys kept fighting, everyone kept fighting.”
Over the last six games, Wilson has thrown for a total of 1,097 passing yards for four touchdowns and five interceptions.
What’s more is that he has completed more than 70 percent of his passes in each of his past two starts, including 19 of 26 (73.1 percent) in Denver on Oct. 8, and 28 of 39 (71.8 percent) against Kansas. City, earlier this month. He consistently moves the offense and makes the short throws – something that was a major problem in his first two NFL seasons.
Wilson & Dellanno flew to the Bahamas this summer before the start of football season
The couple started dating in June 2022, it is believed, when Wilson hit a purple patch
“I think everyone has different reasons for that,” said Nathaniel Hackett, the Jets’ offensive coordinator. “For our system, the foundation of what it’s built is all your footwork. Your footwork and understanding of the decision and timing. This improves your accuracy.
“So for us, him being able to take the right footwork and get the ball out before a pass rush can even get to you accurately and efficiently is what we always strive for.”
That was a focus of Wilson’s mental and physical reset after last season, and the quarterback traits that could improve in that area by watching and learning from Rodgers, as well as the coaching of Hackett, quarterbacks coach Rob Calabrese and passing game coordinator Todd Downing.
“Your feet tell a story on every play and trusting that is something we’re always working on,” Wilson said.
He relied on the support of his family and Dellanno, with whom he has been in a relationship since June 2022, while he developed a purple patch.
Before the start of the season, the couple took a summer vacation to the Bahamas. The Jets will next take on the Giants on Sunday, October 29.