Mike White battled through agony in Buffalo on Sunday, returning to the game after taking a crushing punch to the ribs in the third quarter.
A post-game statement from Jets head coach Robert Saleh provided additional perspective on how much White was hurting as he returned to the game, attempting to lead New York in the fourth quarter.
“We’re taking him to the hospital just to make sure he’s okay.” “It’s more of a precautionary measure than anything else,” Saleh told reporters following the 20-12 loss.
White went down hard after taking a massive hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milano in the third quarter. The signal-caller was slow to get up and eventually strolled to the sideline, replaced by backup Joe Flacco for the second time of the game.
In the first half, White returned quickly after a different blow in the pocket, simply needing to catch his breath on the sideline. It was a different story when White got hurt for the second time. Cameras picked up the quarterback walking slowly toward the locker room, visibly in discomfort, when Flacco took over.
Saleh explained after the game that White went through a complete evaluation at that point before rejoining his teammates. Only when the Jets had confirmation that he was good to go did they allow White to return to the game.
