Mike White made it clear that he wanted to play in Sunday’s crucial game against the Lions, but in the end, the Jets decided they had to protect their quarterback from himself, as White has sustained a ribs injury during last weekend’s loss to the Bills.
Head coach Robert Saleh detailed the process that led to White practicing, but ultimately not being cleared for contact, when talking with reporters on Friday morning.
“Sunday after the game…he was taken to the hospital to get X-rays, and all that stuff cleared,” Saleh said. “He got on the plane and checked out fine.
Monday and Tuesday, same thing, more evaluation, he was cleared for practice, which he has been doing, he feels fine, but our doctors, and rightfully so, would not clear him for contact.
“Mike White, who is an absolute warrior, and has been doing everything he could this week to find another opinion to get him on the football field and find someone to clear him for contact, he’s exhausted every measure he possibly can because he wants to be out there with his teammates. That opinion will not change. We gotta do what’s best for the player and protect the player from the player.”
While the Jets are preaching caution and protection when it comes to White’s status for Sunday’s game, it does call into question how White was cleared to return to last weekend’s game after sustaining a pair of heavy hits to the ribs area, but is not cleared five days after the fact. Regardless, White will not be active on Sunday, and the keys to the Jets offense will be given back to Zach Wilson in one of the most important Jets games in recent memory.
“This is gonna be a great opportunity for Zach,” Saleh said. “When he was elevated to the No. 2 quarterback, it was with the understanding that there was a strong chance he was gonna play, and to prepare accordingly. He’s gotten the vast majority of the first team reps, he’ll get all the reps today and tomorrow, so we feel very comfortable about Zach’s preparation as the first string quarterback, and that he’s gotten his normal workload as a starting quarterback would normally get.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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