Jets QB Sam Darnold is out due to mono. Here are the latest updates...
Oct. 7, 7:06 PM:
Jets coach Adam Gase announced that Darnold would undergo more tests in regard to his battle with mono on Monday. Hours later, Darnold appeared on ESPN 98.7 and in an interview on "The Michael Kay Show," he gave some positive vibes on those tests as he said he's "excited to hear the news."
Darnold added, "I have a feeling it's going to be good news. I thought maybe it would come last week, but I had to wait it out again."
If Darnold is cleared, he's going to start in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys, per Gase.
Oct. 7, 2:06 PM:
Darnold is scheduled to undergo more tests on his spleen on Tuesday, head coach Adam Gase said on Monday.
"The only update I would have is he's supposed to run through all the tests tomorrow morning," Gase said. "We'll have all the information so we'll be able to plan out a week."
Asked if Darnold will start against the Cowboys in Week 6 if he is medically cleared, Gase said yes.
Oct. 4, 10:49 AM:
Darnold has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Eagles, head coach Adam Gase said on Friday. Luke Falk will start in Darnold's place.
The Jets had been hopeful Darnold would be cleared, having given him the majority of the first-team reps during practice. However, the latest tests Darnold underwent on his enlarged spleen resulted in him not being cleared.
While Darnold will be out for Week 5, Gase seemed hopeful he would be cleared in time to play against the Cowboys in Week 6.
Oct. 3, 11:06 AM:
Head coach Adam Gase once again addressed Darnold's status on Thursday, as reporters continue to see if anything has changed by the day. There's news on that front, but Darnold looked perfectly fine at practice, according to NFL Network's Mike Garofalo.
"It's just all going to be about test results," Gase said.
As Gase implied on Wednesday, Darnold basically has up until Sunday to see if his enlarged spleen subsides, making him available to play. In the meantime, he'll just continue to wear his non-contact jersey and try to get to his game-ready self again.
Oct. 2, 11:35 AM:
Darnold will practice on Wednesday but still hasn't been cleared for contact, head coach Adam Gase said.
"He'll go through practice, see how it goes," Gase said. "Just gonna kind of keep increasing his cardio. Just kind of take this day-to-day."
Sept. 30, 12:36 PM:
Darnold cleared for non-contact practice, Jets head coach Adam Gase said on Monday, adding that more evaluations still need to happen before Darnold is given full clearance.
"As far as whether he's in or out for Sunday, that's still a question mark for us," Gase said, noting that the situation is "not ideal" -- partially due to the fact that the team might not know until the last minute whether Darnold will be ready to play Week 5 or whether Luke Falk will get another start.
"It sounds like this is routine as far as how they go about this situation," Gase said about the recovery process and what the doctors are doing. "...It's just a lot of gray right now."
Sept. 23, 2:40 PM:
Jets head coach Adam Gase sounded very optimistic about Darnold returning Week 5 against the Eagles, but stopped just short of saying Darnold would be ready to play.
"Everything looks like it's trending in the right direction," Gase said Monday, adding that Darnold hasn't yet received medical clearance to play but is set to begin the cardio phase of his rehab. Gase added that he doesn't "want to jinx it" or "get ahead of himself."
Speaking after Gase, Darnold confirmed that he will be starting the cardio phase of his rehab and that his spleen (which had been enlarged due to mono) has shrunk a little bit.
Darnold added that he will have more tests next Monday as he awaits full clearance.
A few hours after Gase and Darnold spoke, the Jets cut QB David Fales, making Darnold's return in Week 5 seem even more likely.
Sept. 18, 3:44 AM:
The biggest issue with Darnold's illness is the fact that the possibility of an enlarged spleen could be a side effect. Well, that's exactly what Darnold has.
He confirmed it during his press conference on Wednesday, saying it "needs to get a little smaller for me to play." An enlarged spleen is a serious matter, especially for someone playing a contact sport. Darnold can participate in non-contact activities, but if the enlarged spleen doesn't subside, he won't be able to go out there. So time will tell.
Sept. 18, 11:54 AM:
Adam Gase said Wednesday that Darnold will be at practice Wednesday as an observer and that he might be on the sidelines when the Jets face the Patriots on Sunday in New England.
Gase also said the possibility of Darnold returning in Week 5 is "realistic," but that he has not yet been cleared by the doctors to begin activity.
Sept. 17, 6:47 PM:
In what were his first public comments since being diagnosed with mono, Darnold said the he hopes to return for Week 5, which is the week after the Jets' bye.
"It sucks but it is what it is," Darnold said. "I knew I couldn't do anything about it. I've just got to let it run its course and do everything I could to get better. Right after I heard the news I just started pounding Vitamin C and doing all of the little things that I could to try to get better."
Sept. 17, 1:39 PM:
Darnold was at the Jets' facility for the first time since being diagnosed, with head coach Adam Gase saying that Darnold was feeling better but that everything remains in the hands of the doctors.
"We will really have a better idea (of when Darnold can return) when the doctors give us the green light that he can progress," Gase said. "The doctors are letting us know when to proceed with him."
Sept. 13, 11:47 AM:
Jets head coach Adam Gase updated the status of Darnold, saying the QB will not be placed on IR.
"It's not going to be that long," Gase said about Darnold's absence.
Had Darnold been placed on the IR, he wouldn't have been eligible to return until Week 9.
