The Jets couldn't win their first game of the season with Sam Darnold, and now they'll have to try and win their next few without him.
Head coach Adam Gase announced on Thursday that Darnold has mono. The second-year quarterback won't play on Monday against the Browns, and isn't expected to be back for multiple weeks.
Coach Gase announces QB Sam Darnold will miss Monday night's game with mono. https://t.co/R5KBJtTiVA
— #TakeFlight (@nyjets) September 12, 2019Gase mentioned that Darnold was concerned by the amount of weight he had lost in the last couple days. Mono, or infectious mononucleosis, is an infection that can result in fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes and tiredness. It is also commonly known as "the kissing disease." Typical recovery time for the illness is 2-4 weeks.
The Jets are getting ready to face the Browns on Monday Night Football, and then they play the Patriots in Week 3. Week 4 is a bye week for New York, and Gase said he hopes Darnold can return the week after that.
With Darnold sidelined, Trevor Siemian is in-line to take over the starting QB role. Siemian hasn't played in a meaningful NFL game since Week 11 of the 2017 season, when he was still with the Denver Broncos.
It's safe to say Siemian will be a bit of a downgrade on Darnold, who completed 28 of his 41 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown against the Bills last weekend. Despite his relatively stable performance, the Jets choked away a 16-3 lead in the fourth quarter to start their season with a stunning loss to a division rival.
Gase also had some injury news concerning Le'Veon Bell. Bell won't practice Thursday with a sore shoulder, and his status for the Cleveland game is still uncertain. Instead of practicing, he was set to undergo an MRI.
Injuries are never a good thing, but these two could be especially costly. Darnold and Bell are most likely the team's two most important offensive players, and they'll be missing time just as the Jets' schedule really starts to pick up in terms of difficulty.
