Zach Wilson had more than just his season debut to celebrate on Sunday.
The New York Jets quarterback, in his return from a torn meniscus and bone bruise in his right knee, led a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives in a 24-20 come-from-behind victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He also caught a touchdown pass during the second quarter, his first career touchdown catch for the second-year pro.
Wilson and the Jets struggled after going up 10-0, as the second-year pro threw a pair interceptions and completed just 8 of his first 24 passes. The Steelers captured the moment by scoring 20 unanswered points, most of them behind rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett, who replaced an ineffective Mitch Trubisky.
When New York needed a rally, though, the Jets offense delivered two long drives and the defense came up with two late interceptions — one on a promising Pittsburgh drive into Jets territory and another on a final Hail Mary heave into the end zone.
Wilson completed 18 of 36 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, along with the two interceptions, helping the Jets improve to 2-2 on the young season.
In the fourth quarter, Wilson was 10 of 12 for 128 yards and a touchdown, with a QB rating of 138.9.
New York’s first touchdown came just over two minutes into the second quarter, when Wilson was the catcher of a touchdown pass, not the passer.
With the Jets facing second-and-goal at the Pittsburgh 2, Wilson handed off to wide receiver Garrett Wilson on the jet sweep. Wilson then handed off to fellow receiver Braxton Barrios on a reverse, and he rolled out and threw to an open Wilson for the score.
He then proceeded to do the Griddy, a popular dance, in celebrating the score that gave New York a 10-0 lead.
Wilson completed 2 of 3 passes for 48 yards on the 70-yard scoring drive.
It took until the fourth quarter for Wilson and the Jets offense to do much celebrating again.
One of Wilson’s two interceptions — this one midway through the third quarter — was returned by Pittsburgh’s Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York 4-yard line. That set up a short Pickett touchdown run to give the Steelers a 13-10 lead.
After New York punted on its next drive, Pittsburgh went on a 12-play, 82-yard drive — capped by a Pickett 2-yard touchdown run — to make it 20-10 early in the fourth quarter.
That’s when Wilson and the Jets offense went to work.
The Jets began the comeback with a 11-play, 81-yard drive. Wilson threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Corey Davis with 7:31 remaining to make it 20-17.
On the Steelers’ ensuing drive, Pickett drove Pittsburgh as far as the Jets 31 before Michael Carter II intercepted the rookie, setting up Wilson and the Jets offense at its 32 with just over four minutes to play.
Wilson completed 5 of 5 passes on the drive for 58 yards on the game-winning drive — including a 17-yarder to start the drive and a back-to-back big gains to help overcome a illegal block penalty — before rookie Breece Hall scored on a 2-yard run with just 16 seconds to play.
Hall’s touchdown was originally ruled a fumble and a Jets recovery at the Pittsburgh 1 before officials overruled that call and said Hall got the ball across the goal line before it came loose.
The Jets ran the ball on their final four plays and, aided by a Steelers’ defensive holding penalty, covered the final 20 yards on the scoring drive.