Jets Country

Why Jets' Zach Wilson Is Starting Over Mike White Against Lions

Zach Wilson returns to the starting lineup this week, replacing Mike White, who hasn't been cleared for contact after last week's rib injury.

Max Goodman

In this story:

Less than 24 hours after Mike White told reporters he has no doubts he'll be able to play this week, the quarterback has been ruled out due to his rib injury.

That means Zach Wilson, who hasn't played since his brutal performance back in Week 11, will start for the Jets on Sunday against the Lions. 

Jets head coach Robert Saleh revealed on Friday morning that while White has been feeling better from the injury he sustained last weekend in Buffalo, he hasn't been cleared for contact by the team's doctors. 

"Mike White, who is an absolute warrior and has been doing everything he could this week to try to find another opinion to get him onto the football field, find somebody that will clear him for contact, has exhausted every measure he possibly can because he wants to be out there for his teammates," Saleh told reporters. "That opinion will not change. ... This is one of those deals where we've got to do what's best for the player and protect the player from the player."

White took a number of bone-crushing hits in New York's loss to the Bills on Sunday, leaving the game two separate times. In the second half, after getting drilled by linebacker Matt Milano while throwing downfield, White limped to the locker room, getting X-rays before finishing the game. He visited the hospital after the game as well, a precautionary measure before the team traveled home that night.

Wilson has been inactive for the last three weeks, benched after one of the worst games of his young career. Earlier this week, Saleh announced that the second-year quarterback would be White's backup on Sunday, leapfrogging Joe Flacco on the depth chart to be active against Detroit.

"This is going to be a great opportunity for Zach," Saleh added on Friday. "When he was elevated to the No. 2 quarterback, it was with the understanding that there was a strong possibility he was going to play and to prepare accordingly. He's gotten the vast majority of first team reps, he'll get all the reps today and tomorrow. 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."

Saleh said that the decision to elevate Wilson had nothing to do with White's injury. In fact, Saleh mentioned that the choice to move Wilson into the backup spot had been made late last week, days before White took the field in Buffalo and ended up getting hurt. 

MORE:

Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), be sure to bookmark Jets Country and check back daily for news, analysis and more.

Published
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.

Home/News