Mike White won’t be playing on Sunday for the Jets, but it certainly won’t be for a lack of trying.
The young quarterback scrambled like we was evading pass rushers as he searched for a doctor that would allow him to play through the ribs injury he suffered against the Bills, but in the end, he wasn’t able to get the clearance he was looking for.
“I think I’ve tried talking to almost 10 doctors just to find somebody to clear me, and they just won’t,” White told reporters on Friday. “I completely understand why, but I’m always gonna try to fight like hell to be on the field with my guys. It's frustrating, but it's part of football. Part of life that you have to deal with.
“I might not be there on the field, but I’ll be there on the sidelines helping Zach, helping in any way possible. The most important thing above all of this is winning, because we need to start going on a run if we want to get to where we want to go. That’s what’s most important.”
White also had to remember what else is most important while he was practicing through the injury, and seeking a green light to start in Sunday’s critical game against the Lions. In the end, taking a look at the bigger picture is helping him come to terms with an otherwise frustrating and disappointing outcome.
“That was one of the conversations I had with my wife. Yes, I'm a football player now, but I've got to be her husband and my kids' dad for well past my playing days,” White said. “That definitely gets factored into it, which made it that much tougher.”
Now, White can only watch from the sideline and hope Zach Wilson can solve the struggles that led to White taking over as starter, and help keep Gang Green’s playoff hopes alive. White wishes it was himself leading the Jets out of the tunnel on Sunday, but he’s putting his confidence in his fellow quarterback.
“I think Zach is good. I think he’s in a good mental space, and he had a good week at practice,” White said. “I think he’s ready to go. I’m excited to watch him. He’s in a good mental spot, and I think it’ll be a fun one.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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