Jets’ QB Darnold cleared for non-contact, still unclear if he will play against Eagles
NEW YORK >> Sam Darnold can finally start throwing footballs again. When the New York Jets quarterback will be able to do so in a game remains uncertain.
Darnold was cleared Monday for non-contact activities, but he can’t yet lift weights and declined to say whether the swelling of his spleen — a serious symptom of mononucleosis — has dissipated.
“I’ll let kind of the specifics come out when they do, and when Coach (Adam) Gase wants to disclose that information,” Darnold said during a conference call. “For me, it’s just doing what the doctors say. It’s out of my control.
“My spleen, at this point, is gonna do what it’s gonna do.”
Now, that’s a statement neither Darnold nor Gase — or anyone else around the Jets — ever expected to hear.
But, it has been that type of start to the season for New York, which is 0-3 and coming off a bye-week break that did little to clarify the health statuses of several key players.
Darnold, linebackers C.J. Mosley (groin) and Jordan Jenkins (calf) and wide receiver Josh Bellamy (shoulder) all appear likely to miss the Jets’ game Sunday at Philadelphia, although rookie defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (ankle) could be back.
The uncertainty over Darnold’s health means Luke Falk could make his second straight start. Week 5 had been the goal
New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold was cleared for noncontact activities Monday, but it is still uncertain whether he will play against the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday.
for Darnold and the doctors, but that might prove to be overly optimistic.
“There’s just a lot of gray right now,” Gase said of Darnold, adding that the Jets have “a lot of boxes that we’ve got to check before we can say, hey, we’re rolling on Sunday.”
Elevated from the practice squad two weeks ago, Falk played in place of Darnold and the injured Trevor Siemian in Week 3 at New England before the Jets’ bye-week break.
“It’s not an ideal situation,” Gase said of not knowing whether he needs to prepare Falk to start against the Eagles or if Darnold will be ready to go. “It’s one of those things where it’s the sooner the better that I have an answer.”
Darnold would like to have a full week of practice before he plays in a game, so Wednesday will be a crucial day for him and the Jets. BRONCOS CHUBB UPBEAT AFTER TORN ACL >> Denver Broncos rising star Bradley Chubb is so upbeat about overcoming his season-ending knee injury and emerging a better player that he declared Tuesday, “I’m happy this actually happened to me.”
That’s because “I feel like I was getting a little too complacent,” after registering a dozen sacks his rookie season, added Chubb, the fifth overall pick in the 2018 draft.
Chubb tore his left ACL with about 14 minutes remaining in Denver’s 26-24 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday although he returned and finished the game, even forcing a fumble that QB Gardner Minshew recovered on the Jaguars’ game-winning field RAVENS POST VIDEO DENYING HUMPHREY CHOKE >> The Baltimore Ravens posted a video and story on their website disputing that cornerback Marlon Humphrey choked Browns star Odell Beckham Jr. in Sunday’s game.
The slow-motion video shows the third-quarter fight between Humphrey and Beckham, who is pinned below Baltimore’s defender. While the clip shows Humphrey’s hands pushing Beckham’s jersey up around his neck, the story says he “definitely did not choke” him.
On Monday, Browns coach Freddie Kitchens appealed to the NFL for consistency in officiating, saying “I don’t like seeing our player on the field and someone’s hands around his throat.”
Humphrey and Beckham were both penalized on the play and will likely be fined later this week by the league.
Browns right tackle Chris Hubbard scoffed at the idea Humphrey was not choking Beckham.
“I looked at it this morning, the dude is really like trying to strangle my brother,” Hubbard said.