How a little QB controversy between Mike White and Zach Wilson would be great for Jets

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Let's be clear: the New York Jets do not have a quarterback controversy. It's still way too early to call it that. But if the Jets are to have one, this is exactly what the beginning of it would look and feel like.

Mike White's remarkable performance in Sunday's win over the Bengals might be something we look back on months or years from now as the beginning of something special.

It also might be something that a week or two from now, feels like a wonderful fever dream. Did that really happen?

It all depends on what White does next. But after watching the Jets' backup quarterback throw for 405 yards in an upset of one of the best teams in the AFC, it's hard to argue with what coach Robert Saleh said about the team's quarterback situation in the immediate aftermath of the win.

"Anything is possible."

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Saleh has faced some criticism for that comment, for leaving the door open on a future with White — a 2018 Cowboys fifth-round pick who has been cut and resigned by the Jets four times since he first signed with the team in September 2019 — who made his first appearance in an NFL game two weekends ago in relief of injured starter Zach Wilson.

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Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick, is expected to be healthy enough to return from a right knee PCL strain in the coming weeks — perhaps as soon as next weekend when the Jets host Buffalo.

And Saleh and the Jets could have made that return easier on their high-profile rookie had he just committed to Wilson as the team's long-term starter. But when given the chance to do that on Monday, he refused to close the door on a future with White at quarterback saying, "we'll address it when we cross that bridge."

And Tuesday, speaking after the trade deadline, general manager Joe Douglas made it clear that he's on the same page as his coach.

"Coach and I talk every day," Douglas said. "And at this point, we’re positive vibes only and we’ve got a tough assignment this week in terms of Indianapolis, that’s our only focus. And getting Mike ready for Indianapolis and trying to beat a very tough opponent on the road, on a short week, that is our primary focus. I’m in lockstep with coach and anything other than that, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there."

You can criticize the Jets for a lot of things they've done this season and in the past. But this isn't one of them. They're handling this situation perfectly. Why should a team that hasn't had a true franchise quarterback in more than four decades be closing the door on anything at this point?

It doesn't really matter what Saleh and Douglas say at this moment. And they both know it. The only thing that matters is what White does next.

That magical performance against the Bengals came in the first start of White's career. The Colts have surely spent the past few days studying every moment of the game tape, formulating a plan to take away the things he did so well against Cincinnati.

If White comes out and plays poorly against the Colts and the Jets lose, the "quarterback controversy" we're talking about right now will probably feel like a cute memory on Friday morning.

But what happens if White comes out and does it again? What if he plays great against the Colts on the road, in front of a national television audience, and leads the Jets to yet another stunning, double-digit upset?

Well, buckle up, because if that happens you're going to see the Jets' version of what we saw with the Knicks 10 years ago when Jeremy Lin took the NBA by storm.

Some pessimistic Jets fans will argue that a quarterback controversy would be the worst thing that could happen to their rebuilding team. They worry that it could shatter the confidence of their young, highly touted quarterback.

They're wrong.

If Wilson can't handle being benched in his rookie season for a quarterback who is playing better than him, he doesn't have what it takes mentally to succeed in this league. If anything, watching White play that way should push him to get better. And there's plenty he can learn from White's performance against the Bengals.

Yes, White made some impressive throws. The touchdown pass to Braxton Berrios in the second quarter on Sunday was as good a throw as you'll ever see a quarterback make. But most of what he did in Sunday's 34-31 win was unspectacular. He took what the defense gave him, a lesson that Wilson must learn after too often being burned by his aggressiveness.

Others will argue that the Jets have a responsibility to play and develop their young quarterback. And they do. But let's have some perspective here. Wilson is 22 years old. He's started six games. No matter what happens for the rest of the season, his story is just beginning.

And let's not forget that while the Jets have an obligation to develop their young quarterback, they also have a duty to everyone else in that locker room. They're trying to build a new, winning culture, and put the days of being a dysfunctional mess behind them. How can they do that if they bench a quarterback who comes in and proves that he gives them the best chance to win?

In the end, it all comes back to one thing: what Mike White does next.

If he struggles, it will be easy for the Jets to move back to Wilson, who likely will benefit from getting a few weeks away from the game to take stock of what he can do better moving forward.

But if he doesn't, the Jets will potentially have two quarterbacks of the future on their roster heading into next season. And for a franchise that has been looking for a quarterback since the days of Joe Namath, that would end up being the best kind of controversy they could possibly have.