Former WFAN host Joe Benigno has clarified recent comments about New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and quarterback Zach Wilson after revealing the content of private text messages he got from the Jets HC.
Benigno, a longtime Jets fan and now the host of the ‘Oh The Pain’ podcast on Audacy, was on ‘Evan & Tiki With Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber’ on Monday when he declared that Saleh “don’t like Zach.”
Benigno claimed to have had conversations with the coach, who sent him a list of head coaches and their records without their preferred starting QB. He also revealed getting a text message from Saleh asking “Are you kidding me?” after he suggested that Wilson be returned to the starting lineup.
He’s gotten some heat over the revelation and wasn’t spared when he went on ‘Boomer and Gio’ this Tuesday, with Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti accusing him of “blowtorching” Saleh.
“You 100 percent blowtorched him,” Esiason said.
Benigno went on to explain that he misinterpreted the head coach.
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“First of all, total misinterpretation by me of what he said, okay? I was wrong about that,” he said. “Basically what he was saying was ‘All this time you’ve been killing Zach, you want him benched, and now you want me to play him?’”
“I think the blowtorching that Boomer is referring to is 1. You’re sharing text messages that you’ve had with Rob Saleh when they’re at the lowest point of the season, on the air at WFAN, that’s 1,” Giannotti remarked. “And 2. you’re giving out an opinion that you thought Rob Saleh had that he didn’t have. If you’re Rob Saleh, you’re like ‘What in the effing hell is going on here?’”
“Well, look, I was wrong, I admit it. I mean, I’m on here talking to you now telling you that,” Benigno replied. “I don’t know what else you want me to say about it.”
The Jets do want to return Wilson to the starting lineup after a not-so-good experience with their backups on Sunday. They could have a problem, however, as it has been reported that Wilson does not want to step back into the role.
Meanwhile, the Jets have waived Tim Boyle today and are signing Brett Rypien from the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.
