Robert Saleh Says He Hasn't Lost Any Confidence in Mike White

Even after Mike White's four-interception performance on Sunday, in a blowout loss to the Bills, head coach Robert Saleh still has faith in the backup quarterback.

Mike White's three-week stint as the Jets' starting quarterback has featured some historic highs and devastating lows. 

It began with White's first career start back in Week 8, a timeless performance against the Bengals that resulted in an upset victory. White threw for 405 yards, he tossed three touchdown passes and won over Gang Green's rabid fan base in one fell swoop.

A few days later, on Thursday Night Football, White was solid for a quarter before exiting the game with a forearm injury. Still, the White experience was going strong.

That changed on Sunday. White was outclassed by the Bills' defense in a 28-point loss, throwing four picks.

READ: Mike White Experience Ends in Miserable Fashion as Bills Bash Jets

And yet, after digesting this team's latest humiliating effort, Jets head coach Robert Saleh still has faith in White under center.

"I still have a lot of confidence in Mike," Saleh told reporters on Monday afternoon. "Did he play his best? No. Is he capable of playing better than that? Absolutely."

Saleh singled out Buffalo's elite defense, a group that has grown together over the last several years into one of the best defensive units in the sport.

"They're pretty freakin' good, they've been together for four years and they're so precise in how they operate," Saleh said. "Credit to them. But haven't lost faith in Mike at all."

The head coach also pointed out how quickly fans in New York can turn on a player after one bad performance. It's Saleh's first year in this market, so it's no surprise he's not accustomed to New York's love-hate relationship with players when they sniff success, but he does have a point with White.

"This market fascinates me in the sense that he was anointed the next coming after one game and now everyone wants to throw him away. He deserves better than that," Saleh explained.

There's still a slight chance that White starts next Sunday against the Dolphins. It depends chiefly on the health of rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, who has missed the last three games with a sprained PCL. but Saleh left the door open for any possibility at quarterback on Monday, saying he'll make a decision on his starter in the next few days. 

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher  of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.