FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets made an unexpected quarterback change Friday, announcing that Mike White is out Sunday with an unspecified rib injury and that former starter Zach Wilson is back in the lineup.
White, who had said Thursday he had no doubt he would be ready to face the Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium, wasn’t cleared for contact by team doctors, coach Robert Saleh said. White sought but failed to receive clearance from outside doctors, Saleh said.
White “exhausted every measure” in trying to find a doctor to give him the green light, Saleh said, adding, “That opinion will not change and it’s gotten to the point where we could drag this out to Sunday, but this is one of those deals we have to do what’s best for the player and protect the player from the player.”
The injury occurred Sunday on a crushing hit to the midsection by Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano during the Jets’ 20-12 loss. White went to the locker room for an X-ray and was cleared by team doctors to return. He finished the game.
Saleh said as recently as Wednesday that the Jets (7-6) were “still working as if he’s playing this week,” never mentioning that White still had to be cleared for contact. There might have been some gamesmanship at play, keeping the Lions (6-7) in the dark as long as possible.
White was cleared for practice — he was a limited participant Wednesday and Thursday — but Saleh said they made “an organizational decision” Thursday night to make the change.
The Jets didn’t announce their quarterback plans beyond Sunday. White could return Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Saleh acknowledged it would be a “challenge” on a short week. White will be reevaluated Monday.
The Jets, in a playoff race for the first time since 2015, will turn to Wilson, who spent the past three games as the third string/inactive quarterback. He was elevated this week to QB2, replacing Joe Flacco. Saleh said that decision had been made last Friday, two days before White was injured.
White underwent a precautionary CT scan at a Buffalo-area hospital after the game before flying home with the team. Both White and the Jets have been evasive on the exact nature of the injury, with Saleh refusing to confirm or deny a fracture.
White said repeatedly throughout the week that he felt fine and was preparing to play.
“He’s not BS-ing,” Saleh said. “He feels fine. He can throw a ball fine. He’s not in pain. It’s a contact issue. If it was 7-on-7, he’d be out there playing. But it’s not.”
According to ESPN Analytics, a win over the Lions would give the Jets a 34% chance of making the playoffs. Their chances would drop to 14% with a loss.
The Jets had rallied around White in his three starts. They went 1-2 and averaged only 22 points per game, but he passed for 952 yards and was able to get every player involved. In all likelihood, he would have remained the starter for the rest of the season — or as long as the Jets stayed in contention — even though Saleh said his intent was to play Wilson again.
Now there is no choice.
“We feel very comfortable about Zach’s preparation as the first-string quarterback,” said Saleh, adding that Wilson has received “a normal workload” for a starter in practice and that he knew at the beginning of the week there was “a strong possibility” that Wilson would have to start.
Wilson has won five of seven starts but has only four touchdown passes, an NFL-worst 56% completion rate and only 183 passing yards per game. He was benched after a 77-yard performance against the New England Patriots on Nov. 20. After the game, he created a firestorm by refusing to take any accountability for a poor offensive outing. His comments irked many players, sources said. Three days later, an emotional Wilson apologized in front of the team.
The Jets described the benching as a “reset,” an opportunity for Wilson to sharpen his fundamentals without the pressure of having to prepare for an opponent.
“I definitely believe in myself,” Wilson said Wednesday when it was announced that he was elevated to No. 2. “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 that.”
The Jets also ruled out wide receiver Corey Davis (concussion). Star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (calf) missed practice for the third straight day, but the Jets didn’t declare him out, holding out hope he can play.