Despite suffering what he now confirms is a fractured rib, Jets quarterback Mike White tried his best to be available for the team’s matchup against the Lions on Sunday.
White told reporters on Friday that he consulted with 10 doctors, seeking to be cleared for Sunday’s game. However, none of them approved White’s request and he was frustrated.
According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, White said that he was only feeling soreness and there was a sense of “wishful thinking” that he would play against Detroit. However, doctors were concerned about him taking contact with the injury.
White is no stranger to toughness, and it was on full display in the Jets’ 20–12 loss to the Bills, taking multiple big hits from his AFC East rival. The first hit White suffered knocked him out for a few plays but he later returned.
However, the second hit was more serious and required White to get X-rays, which did not reveal the fracture at the time. Even with the injury, White told reporters Monday that he knew he was going to re-enter the game if “everything was fine.”
“You would’ve had to peel me off that field,” White said. “It was never in my mind that, ‘Yeah, I’m not finishing this game.’”
White will not play in Sunday’s game. Instead, Zack Wilson will get the start for the Jets with Joe Flacco serving as the backup.
