How a case of mono helped New York Jets discover QB Mike White – New York Jets Blog

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Adam Gase buried the lead.

On Sept. 12, 2019, the then-New York Jets coach started his each day news convention with the harm report — identical to all the time — mentioning 5 gamers and their apply standing. After a temporary pause, he dropped a quarterback bombshell.

“Fourteen has mono,” Gase stated matter-of-factly, referring to Sam Darnold and his jersey quantity. “So Trevor Siemian might be beginning and Luke Falk will get elevated in some unspecified time in the future.”

Darnold’s mononucleosis — a Jets-ian growth — created a domino impact that has lasted three-plus years. It’s not a stretch to say that if the Jets hadn’t misplaced Darnold for a few weeks to the so-referred to as “kissing disease,” their present quarterback would not be Mike White.

White was an emergency addition throughout the Jets’ 2019 QB disaster, a Dallas Cowboys castoff who nearly opted for the XFL over the Jets. Later that 12 months, he almost received poached from the Jets’ apply squad. They caught collectively — White and the Jets — via a lot of quarterback drama and now right here they’re:

They start December, normally the cruelest of months for the franchise, with a good chance to finish their 11-12 months playoff drought. White, who changed the demoted Zach Wilson, will attempt to enhance to 2-0 on the season Sunday because the Jets (7-4) meet the Minnesota Vikings (9-2) at U.S. Bank Stadium (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

From mono to mania — Mike White mania.

“It’s crazy how things work out,” White instructed ESPN. “There are so many stories like that with guys getting an unexpected shot. I just happen to be the story of the guy here.”

This is the story of alternative, persistence, telephone calls and early wake-up calls. It’s the story of a perceptive and affected person entrance workplace and a participant who refused to surrender on his dream. Here’s how White’s early days with the Jets unfolded, in line with sources with direct information of the state of affairs.

DARNOLD’S DIAGNOSIS WAS solely the beginning of the Jets’ quarterback issues. A couple of days later, Siemian suffered a ugly ankle harm in his first begin, leaving the untested Falk as the one quarterback within the constructing. Journeyman David Fales, who had a background with Gase, was signed instantly.

General supervisor Joe Douglas, solely three months into the job, wasn’t carried out. He considers quarterback a very powerful place in sports activities, and he wished to replenish the pipeline with a younger participant.

White was on the lookout for work as a result of the Cowboys launched him Sept. 1, one 12 months after drafting him within the fifth spherical. He cleared waivers and began to make the free-agent rounds, understanding for the Buffalo Bills (Sept. 3), New England Patriots (Sept. 6) and Jets (Sept. 10).

He already was atop the Jets’ quick listing and validated that standing with a powerful exercise. At that time, the Jets’ curiosity was normal. Every group works out gamers after the ultimate cuts to finalize their contingency plans.

Douglas was excessive on White after evaluating him earlier than the 2018 draft whereas working within the Philadelphia Eagles’ entrance workplace. He knew White as a productive school participant with sturdy intangibles. What impressed him probably the most was how he threw for 4,177 yards, with 26 landing passes and eight interceptions at Western Kentucky, regardless that some of his greatest gamers from the 12 months earlier than had graduated.

Douglas introduced that intel to the Jets, who had equally sturdy scouting reviews on White. Pro personnel director Greg Nejmeh additionally rated him as a precedence participant on his listing of accessible developmental quarterbacks. At that time, the Jets have been proud of the Darnold-Siemian-Falk troika however obtained the mono news in the future after White’s tryout.

Suddenly, there was a sense of urgency. It went to DEFCON 1 when Siemian’s ankle was damaged on Sept. 16, courtesy of Cleveland Browns defensive finish Myles Garrett.

The Jets reached out to White’s agent, Joel Segal, providing a place on the apply squad for the usual wage of $136,000. White was hesitant; he was being courted by the fledgling XFL, which was debuting within the spring of 2020. The XFL supplied “significantly more than a practice-squad salary,” stated White, who could not keep in mind the precise determine. The Jets did not supply a bonus, however promised they would supply a possibility to develop.

“At the time, it was pretty tough,” White stated of his choice. “I knew I was an NFL quarterback — I wasn’t an XFL quarterback — but (the XFL) was an opportunity to play and I knew I needed film. The only film I had was preseason from Dallas, and it wasn’t the greatest film, to be honest.”

It took a lot of arduous recruiting. Douglas, Nejmeh, assistant GM Rex Hogan and offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains positioned calls to White and Segal for a week. Recalling that interval, White stated, “Rex kind of sold me on the dream. He’s a very good salesman.”

Finally, on Sept. 25, White signed a apply squad contract. After a lot consideration, he determined “it felt right,” and that he would not be simply a apply arm. The transaction occurred throughout their bye week, barely registering on the media radar. At 3:34 p.m., the Jets’ official web site introduced it with a story.

Only three quick paragraphs.

BEFORE MEETINGS AND apply, Loggains carried out a quarterback college on daily basis at 7 a.m., a likelihood to sharpen fundamentals, watch movie and discuss the language of quarterback. It was an additional-assist session, so to talk. White was a common.

White shortly gained a fame as a diligent employee, on and off the sphere, in line with former teammates and coaches. They described him as severe, however personable. He ran the scout-group offense towards the beginning protection.

“He was always consistent in his manner and demeanor,” former linebacker Brandon Copeland stated. “He was always a great person, great teammate and always worked his tail off. Those are the things that stick out. You could count on Mike to be himself. He didn’t have bad days in terms of his outside personality and his demeanor toward the rest of the team. He didn’t mope. He didn’t do things like that. I think that’s going to be huge for him now. Watching him have success, it’s extremely earned.”

A former staffer, who spoke on the situation of anonymity, stated White was “smart, focused and a pleaser. He wanted the scout team to present the correct picture for the defense. He wasn’t afraid to compete. He was determined. He wanted his fundamentals to improve with quality, competitive team snaps in practice. He had the respect of the huddle. He recruited guys to listen to him as the quarterback — and they did.”

He did not make an impression on everybody, although. One former offensive starter texted, “I don’t remember much about him, to be honest.”

White had a possibility to depart the Jets that first season as a result of the San Francisco 49ers supplied him a spot on their 53-man roster. To retain him, the Jets sweetened his apply-squad wage, bumping him to $204,000 — a apply now not allowed. On Dec. 9, 2019, White signed a renegotiated contract.

They wound up reducing him 4 instances in 2020, every time bringing him again to the apply squad. There was danger concerned — any group may’ve claimed him on waivers — however the Jets have been keen to take that likelihood as a result of nobody had seen him play because the 2019 preseason in Dallas. The 2020 preseason was canceled as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, so there was no new tape.

The Jets by no means misplaced religion in White, who made the 53-man roster final season, began three video games and achieved close to-cult hero standing with a 405-yard passing efficiency towards the Cincinnati Bengals. That got here as an harm substitute. Now he is beginning as a result of coach Robert Saleh believes in him. He tossed White into the crucible of a playoff race.

“It’s almost like he lowers his heartbeat,” Saleh stated, explaining White’s poise beneath stress. “It’s just not big for him.”

It hasn’t been a easy journey. White was benched final season for Joe Flacco after a 4-interception sport towards the Bills — Wilson was injured on the time — and his coaching camp efficiency this summer season was lackluster. Saleh, acknowledging the “slow start,” had a dialog with him in camp. White responded with a terrific outing within the remaining preseason sport, however he nonetheless was behind Wilson and Flacco on the depth chart.

In Week 8, White was promoted to QB2. Then, QB1.

“You’ve got to be prepared because when that time does come, you’ve got to be able to seize it,” White stated.

No one is aware of how this story will finish. We know the way it started — a case of mono, a damaged ankle and an surprising shot.

“This didn’t come to him easy,” stated Copeland, a former undrafted free agent who is aware of what it is prefer to get reduce a number of instances. “[Guys like us], I don’t want to say we cherish it more, but we can deal with the ebbs and flows because we’ve been at the bottom. He’s been at the bottom. There’s nothing for him to lose, so to speak, and I think that makes him extremely dangerous.”