The New York Jets team’s doctors are not clearing quarterback Mike White for contact ahead of Sunday’s game, meaning Zach Wilson will get the start against the Detroit Lions, coach Robert Saleh announced Friday.
White suffered an unspecified rib injury in Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills. He wanted to play and practice, but the Jets doctors are not signing off on letting him on the field.
“Mike White, who is an absolute warrior and has done everything this week to find another option to get him on the football field, to find someone who will give him permission to contact him, has exhausted every possible measure because he wants to be there for his teammates,” Saleh said.
Therefore, Wilson, who has been inactive for the past three weeks after being benched, is back as the Jets’ starter as they try to snap a two-game losing streak and keep their playoff hopes on track.
Saleh called it a “great opportunity” for Wilson to return to the starting role.
White was injured during the 20–12 loss to the Bills on a crushing hit by Buffalo linebacker Matt Milano. White twice left the game, but returned to finish the game, impressing teammates and coaches with his toughness, before heading to a Buffalo-area hospital for a precautionary CT scan.
Saleh said the Jets would reevaluate White’s injury Monday, but acknowledged it will be a brief turnaround now that New York hosts the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night.
Wide receiver Corey Davis (concussion) was also ruled out, while Saleh said defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (calf) still had 50-50 to play.
Earlier in the week, Wilson had moved into the No. 2 quarterback spot behind White. Wilson said Wednesday that he still believed he was the Jets’ quarterback of the future.
“I absolutely believe in myself,” said Wilson. “Of course I have all the confidence in the world – I think that’s how it should be – but you have to be able to prove it.”
Before being benched, Wilson had gone 5-2 as a starter, but completed an NFL-worst 55.6% of his passes (105-for-189) with four touchdowns and five interceptions. White is 1-2 as a starter and completes 80 of 129 passes (62%) for 952 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions.
According to ESPN Analytics, a win over the Lions would give the Jets a 34% chance of making the playoffs. Their chance would drop to 14% in the event of a loss.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
