The New York Jets' playoff hopes rest on the shoulders of Mike White -- not Zach Wilson.
Brian Costello of the New York Post reported Monday, citing a source, that White has been cleared by doctors and will start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.
White, who's been recovering from broken ribs, missed the last two games, forcing the Jets to turn back to Wilson. The second-year quarterback struggled as New York lost 20-17 to the Detroit Lions in Week 15 and 19-3 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16.
It's not all that surprising the Jets will reinsert White now that he's healthy. The New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans all lost on Christmas weekend, leaving the door open for New York to capture an AFC playoff spot.
The Jets will advance to the postseason if they win both of their two remaining games (against the Seahawks in Week 17 and against the Dolphins in Week 18) and the Patriots lose one of their final two games (against Miami in Week 17 or against the Buffalo Bills in Week 18).
That said, the long-term ramifications of the Jets' quarterback situation carry even greater intrigue. New York selected Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft -- a polarizing decision at the time -- and he's hardly lived up to expectations. Now, it's fair to question whether he'll ever develop into a consistent starting QB, let alone a franchise signal-caller.
Wilson, who was benched in favor of White earlier this season, had a golden opportunity to reclaim his job and finally begin an upward trajectory the last two weeks. Instead, he folded like a lawn chair, casting doubt over his future in the Meadowlands and making it a no-brainer for Jets head coach Robert Saleh to hand the keys back to White with a playoff berth still on the table.
