If it was up to Mike White, he’d be starting quarterback for the New York Jets against the Detroit Lions this Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
But doctors would not clear the 27-year-old (fractured ribs) for action this Sunday, so head coach Robert Saleh is going back to 2021 second overall pick Zach Wilson after benching him for the last three games.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, White revealed just how badly he wanted to play despite the pain, via Andy Vasquez of NJ.com:
“I asked several times, ‘Well do I need your permission to play, or can I just play?’…
“I’ve tried talking to almost 10 doctors just to try to find somebody to clear me,. And they just won’t. And I completely understand why…so it’s frustrating…I tried my best..”
White briefly had to leave the Jets’ Week 14 road game against the Buffalo Bills. He was clearly in a lot of pain, but White courageously fought through it and did his best to lead the giant underdogs to victory.
But Buffalo’s sting defense and the unforgiving conditions at Orchard Park made for a defensive-dominated affair, with the Bills winning 20-12 to split the season series. The loss dropped the playoff-hopeful Jets to 7-6 on the season.
The Jets enter Week 15 in a three-way tie with the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots for the final wild card spot in the AFC. The Patriots currently hold that spot as they have tiebreakers over the Bolts and Jets.
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White has started three games for the Jets this season, completing 62 percent of his pass attempts for 952 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. White also appeared in four games last season, tossing 953 passing yards and five touchdowns against eight interceptions.
As for the 23-year-old Wilson, he has completed 55.6 percent of pass attempts for 1,279 yards and four touchdowns against five interceptions.
New York holds the longest active NFL playoff drought, having last qualified for the postseason in 2010. Their hopes of ending the drought now largely fall on the shoulders of Wilson, who was taken second overall for moments like this.
