The New England Patriots' weak competition in the AFC East just got weaker.
New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold has been diagnosed with mono and is expected to several games, head coach Adam Gase told reporters Thursday, via the New York Daily News' Manish Mehta.
The Patriots host the Jets in Week 3, meaning they'll likely face backup quarterback Trevor Siemian, who will start in place of Darnold on Monday night against the Cleveland Browns.
Mono is a contagius illness spread through saliva that usually lasts several weeks and results in a fever and fatigue.
Darnold contracting mono before New York's second game certainly is poor timing, considering the Jets were relying on the second-year quarterback to lead a new-look offense featuring running back Le'Veon Bell -- who is dealing with an ailment of his own.
In the interim, New York will have to turn to Siemian -- a former Denver Broncos backup with a 79.9 passer rating -- in a tough matchup against the Browns and a road game against the defending Super Bowl champs. Not great.
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