Jets' Mike White Will Start vs. Seahawks, Return From Rib Injury

White returns for the final two games of the season, giving the Jets an outside chance to make the playoffs if they can win out.

Author:
Max Goodman
Publish date:
Dec 26, 2022 12:56 PM EST

In this story:

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Jets quarterback Mike White has been cleared for contact and will return from his rib injury this week, starting against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17.

Brian Costello of the New York Post was first to report that White will be back under center.

White suffered his scary injury back in Week 14, taking some bone-crushing hits during a loss to the Bills in Buffalo. He went to the hospital after the game, missing the next two contests with fractured ribs.

In his place, Zach Wilson returned to the starting lineup and struggled. The second-year quarterback threw for 317 yards in his first game back from being benched, but completed only 51.43 percent of his passes in a brutal loss to the Lions. Then, his career sunk back to rock bottom on Thursday Night Football—Wilson looked horrific and was booed mercilessly by Jets fans until third-string quarterback Chris Streveler replaced him in the second half.

White returning from his injury is a jolt for a team that's on the brink of elimination from the postseason picture in the AFC. New York has lost four games in a row, needing to win their last two games (while receiving some help from other contenders in their conference) in order to sneak in and end their 11-year playoff drought.

It's unlikely, but not impossible. The Jets travel to Seattle this week before ending the year in Miami, facing the Dolphins (another team that's been struggling lately, clinging to a spot in the hunt).

White gives the Jets their best chance to win and make it to the dance. With White under center before his injury, New York's offense was humming. The Jets produced 466-plus yards of offense in each of White's two starts against the Bears and Vikings.

If the Jets' defense can bounce back and finish strong the rest of the way, with White putting points on the board, a slim shot at a postseason bid gets much bigger.