Quarterback Mike White’s 2022 run with the Jets may have written itself into his bones, literally. One game against the Buffalo Bills was a particularly brutal showdown where poor White got knocked around harder than a piñata at a kid’s party. He faced hits from every direction, but there was one hit, one bone-crunching collision that haunted him as he addressed the media for the first time as a member of Buffalo’s practice squad.
A Memory that Lingers
“I just can’t be locker room mates with Matt Milano,” White confessed, his face a mix of nostalgia and apprehension. That hit from Milano? It’s not for the faint-hearted—sit down before you watch it. After that game, the poor chap ended up in a local hospital, just in case. White’s ribs might still be echoing that impact.
The Search for Missing Ribs
“I swear, when I go to Highmark Stadium, I’m sure there’s going to be a piece of my rib on the 30-yard line,” White joked, using humor to mask the pain of past battles. With Mitch Trubisky out of the picture due to injury, the Bills brought in White after he was released by the Dolphins, a move that G.M. Brandon Beane described as astute.
“We’ve obviously gone against Mike,” Beane said. “I think everyone in here is very familiar with his career, all the time in the AFC East. The thing I’ve always admired about Mike is whether he started the game or came into the game, he came in guns a-blazing. No fear.”
No fear, indeed. No rib, either!
The Safe Haven
Yet, there’s a silver lining for White. As long as he’s suiting up for Buffalo, there’s no risk of Milano or any other Bills player turning him into a human tackling dummy. As fate would have it, Milano is indefinitely out and on injured reserve with a torn biceps, so there’s one less thing for White to worry about.
Encouraging Prospects
White’s journey, from being a fifth-round pick by the Cowboys in 2018 to carving out a niche in the league, illustrates his unyielding spirit and determination. He’s had 14 regular-season appearances, seven starts, and enough hits to write a sequel to ‘Rocky’. White embodies the tenacity we all cherish in our Sunday warriors—a metaphorical David standing tall amidst Goliaths.
So, for now, White can focus on his aspirations, his eyes set on the horizon, knowing the Bills locker room might just be his safe haven. And who knows? Maybe he’ll retrieve that missing rib along the way.
In the end, that’s the beauty of the NFL—a place where legends are made, bones are broken, but the spirit remains unshakable.
