Getty New York Jets quarterback Mike White after Week 17 in Seattle.
Arrows were flying in all directions after the New York Jets’ 2022 collapse ended in a downright pitiful performance against the Seattle Seahawks.
Fans and media members took aim at head coach Robert Saleh, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur turned into public enemy number one, and the clock finally struck midnight on Cinderella story Mike White.
SNY television host and WFAN radio personality Sal Licata even fired off a viral tweet that was directed at the fanbase, presumably calling them out for their treatment of Zach Wilson throughout this losing streak.
Be careful what you wish for. Jets fans wanted Mike White. You got him. The D is highly overrated, they can’t run the ball, the Coaching is questionable at best, Specials stink but all the Jets fans do is bitch about the one guy who might be able to save this sorry franchise.
“Be careful what you wish for,” Licata voiced. “Jets fans wanted Mike White. You got him. The D is highly overrated, they can’t run the ball, the Coaching is questionable at best, Special [teams] stink but all the Jets fans do is b**** about the one guy who might be able to save this sorry franchise.”
Did Zach Wilson Deserve the Boo-Birds?
Many blasted Licata for this take, although it does currently have nearly 950 likes so it couldn’t have been that unpopular. “You’re not talking about Zach Wilson, right? Please tell me you’re not talking about Zach Wilson,” one fan responded in an incredulous manner.
@sal_licata You’re not talking about Zach Wilson, right? Please tell me you’re not talking about Zach Wilson.
Licata did not reply to any of the complaints in his comment section, but the topic of Wilson vs. White has been a polarizing conversation since the latter smoked the Cincinnati Bengals back in 2021.
Wilson’s most recent run as the starter ended on a fateful Thursday night in the rain where the offense looked atrocious under his direction. The booing got to be so bad that Saleh eventually pulled the former No. 2 overall pick for Chris Streveler, a Canadian Football League flyer that has been available to the rest of the league all season (on the practice squad).
The Jets HC justified the move as an attempt to spark the run game at the time, but the more obvious reason was to spare what little confidence Wilson had left. The second-year QB looked like a young man that was broken mentally, and that toll eventually turned into a physical problem too as his indecisive play turned into a litany of dreadful mistakes on the field.
This isn’t meant as an excuse for Wilson, but rather an attempt at explanation. Those supporting Licata’s message feel that the fanbase’s quick trigger has contributed to the youngster’s regression in 2022.
The Jets organization has failed to develop quarterback prospects since Joe Namath, and the more newcomers that fail, the harder it gets for the next draft pick to succeed in New York. It’s a vicious cycle, and right now there’s no end in sight.
Mike White Era Likely Over With Jets
White may get one final start in Week 18, but his brief run as the Jets starting quarterback is certainly over after the Seahawks loss. General manager Joe Douglas will most likely be here in 2023 but he cannot afford to miss the playoffs once again — meaning he cannot entrust his job and his career to a hot-and-cold journeyman.
any chance of Joe Douglas banking his career on Mike White in 2023 is officially dead after this performance. #Jets
Instead, the Jets are expected to go “big-game hunting” at the quarterback position in 2023 and that could mean someone like Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo — or it could mean an even bigger name like Aaron Rodgers or Lamar Jackson.
Some other options could potentially be Jared Goff, Daniel Jones or Baker Mayfield depending on how the offseason goes for their current NFL franchises.
Whatever the Jets decide to do, the general consensus appears to be that the starting QB is not on the roster as of now. Wilson is still owed a decent chunk of change and has more long-term potential than White — an unrestricted free agent — so it’s very possible that the BYU product could remain on the roster in 2023 despite a veteran acquisition.
Only time will tell who the next man under center will be with the Jets.
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Jets Fans Called Out in Cryptic Tweet: ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’