FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — With Sam Darnold‘s sprained right shoulder still ailing, the New York Jets will start Joe Flacco at quarterback Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, coach Adam Gase said Wednesday.
Darnold was injured in Thursday’s loss to the Denver Broncos. Instead of waiting until the end of the week before a decision, the Jets decided to rule Darnold out midweek to get Flacco ready for his first start in nearly a year.
That Darnold returned to play against the Broncos after missing a few snaps certainly raises the question of whether he should have been allowed back in the game. He underwent an X-ray in the locker room and almost certainly received a painkilling injection.
This marks the third time in Darnold’s short career that he has missed time. In 2018, as a rookie, he missed three games with a sprained foot. In 2019, he sat out three games as he recovered from mononucleosis.
The Jets are 0-6 when he doesn’t start, which is the main reason they signed Flacco, 35, the former longtime Baltimore Ravens starter and Super Bowl MVP.
New York signed Flacco in May knowing he would probably miss a couple of games as he recovered from April neck surgery. Flacco was inactive for the first three games then was the No. 2 quarterback against the Broncos, his previous team, and wound up playing four snaps. He attempted two passes, completing them both.
Flacco made his last start for the Broncos on Oct. 27, when he suffered a neck injury and didn’t play for the remainder of the season. He was released in the offseason.
He won only two of eight starts for the Broncos, completing 65.3% of his passes for 1,822 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions.
