The New York Jets are mixing it up at the quarterback position once again. According to the team’s head coach Robert Saleh, veteran Joe Flacco will start under center for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. This will mark the third different starter for the Jets in 2021.
The Jets opened the season with rookie Zach Wilson handling the starting duties. The 2021’s second overall pick got hurt in Week 7, which allowed fourth-year player Mike White to take over. White impressed on several occasions, most notably in 34-31 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but had an ugly outing last week that saw him throw four picks in a 17-45 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
During a chat with reporters on Wednesday, Saleh insisted that White isn’t being demoted due to poor performance against the Bills. Instead, he believes that Flacco’s experience will give the Jets a better chance against the blitz-heavy Dolphins defense.
“Joe’s got a history,” Saleh said via. “He’s in the record books all over the place. He’s a world champion, so he’s got a history of playing good ball. One drive didn’t solidify anything; it’s his history more than anything. He’s seen these type of defenses many times over.”
Flacco joined the Jets in late October, arriving in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. He saw his first action in 2021 against the Bills, stepping up in the fourth quarter and completing all three passes he attempted while throwing for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Speaking about his chance to start a game again for the first time in almost a year, Flacco said that he wants to prove that he still belongs in this league.
“When you’re a backup, and you get traded, all kinds of things run through your head,” he added. “You want to play. Not only that, but you want to prove again to yourself that you can play. A lot of emotions come up.”
