2022 New York Jets: Inflight Turbulence

The New York Jets had an off-season for the ages, snagging three franchise-changing players in Gardner, Wilson, and Hall. Furthermore, Johnson, Clemons, and Mitchell have all shown to be very promising players in their own right. With the draft and what was added in free agency the team was projected to be one of the most improved in 2022 but no one saw a 6-3 record in the books. NFL seasons are notoriously unpredictable and that adds to its appeal. Mike White’s emergence as a contender for starting Jets Quarterback seems straight out of a TV show series. He did perform at a high level when given the chance but his game against the Buffalo Bills erased his potential from the the equation for most fans. Then he emerged again this year against the Chicago Bears sporting that accuracy, timing, and quick decision-making he showed the year before. With Zach Wilson’s struggles limiting the team’s progress in the face of their 6-3 start White’s emergence brought hope. White had the fans and his teammates rooting for a prolonged chance to show his wares but it was not meant to be with his injury at the Buffalo Bills threatening to have the him seat for the remainder of the season. White’s absence also coincided with a dip in performance by the team’s defense and special teams making him the answer to all prayers. But it was a long shot, given that no doctor felt safe enough to clear him. White was out but he kept trying hard to get clearance from physicians while Zach Wilson sealed his fate as a New York Jet. With no answer at QB, the green and white seemed doomed to lose all remaining games ultimately taking a promising season to a disappointing end. After a decade-plus of disappointment fans long for the end of these heartbreaking episodes but with no answer in sight at quarterback the path was clear and most fans braced for the worst Mike White’s clearance to play injected hope into fans’ veins with the opportunity to propel this team to a playoff birth, something that has been missing for a very long time. It’s still a daydream but it’s possible because there is a feeling of stability with Mike White at the Helm. White’s future hinges on his performance in these two games. He can become a made man or just be an afterthought n a long line of almost Quarterbacks in the history of the New York Jets.