Bills quarterback's past with Jets owner fuels motivation ahead of divisional clash
The Buffalo Bills are in the playoffs, the New York Jets are out of it. It might be harder to get motivation in the week of preparation ahead of this type of game, but the Bills may just want to make it a revenge game for practice squad quarterback Mike White. White spent four seasons […]
The Buffalo Bills are in the playoffs, the New York Jets are out of it. It might be harder to get motivation in the week of preparation ahead of this type of game, but the Bills may just want to make it a revenge game for practice squad quarterback Mike White.
White spent four seasons with the New York Jets, between 2019 and 2022, but things got really rough during his tenure there. In 2022, he started four games after Zach Wilson got hurt, and a loss to the Seattle Seahawks made Jets owner Woody Johnson extremely upset.
The Athletic had an impressive piece last week, talking about the Jets' dysfunctional operation. And a detail involved White.
"In 2022, quarterback Mike White played through broken ribs in a late-season game against the Seahawks with postseason hopes on the line. White played poorly; the Jets lost and were eliminated from playoff contention. After the game, with the quarterback in the showers after throwing his helmet to the locker room floor, multiple Jets players said they heard Woody Johnson say, “You should throw your helmet, you f—ing suck.” The statement got back to White. The team spokesperson said Johnson apologized to the quarterback, who declined to comment for this story."
In that game, Mike White completed 23 of 46 passes for 240 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. He had a 47.4 passer rating, and it ended up being his final appearance with a Jets' uniform.
Last season, White signed with the Miami Dolphins on a two-year contract, but he was released last August and signed with the Bills' practice squad. He is QB3, behind Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky.
Mike White will most likely not play on Sunday, but by how Woody Johnson managed his situation in New Jersey, the entire Bills roster has an extra motivation to fight in the game.
