Jets quarterback Sam Darnold has missed the past two games (plus the bye week) after being diagnosed with mononucleosis, but he may be nearing a return to the field.

The Jets have played it safe with Darnold’s health, and for good reason. Aside from mono just being the absolute worst, the disease can lead to an enlarged spleen. In that case, playing professional football is probably the last thing someone with an enlarged spleen should be doing — a ruptured spleen would be a medical emergency and potentially fatal.

So, yeah, Darnold has been taking it easy. But the Jets quarterback is scheduled for an ultrasound Friday on his spleen, which could pave the way for his return to the field. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Darnold was super honest with his health update. This was the lighthearted moment:

"I wanna make sure that I'm safe out there, and that I'm not gonna die" –Sam Darnold on returning from mono (via @snyjets) pic.twitter.com/ne1AKaNg6v — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 3, 2019

He just wants to make sure that he isn’t going to die, which is a reasonable thing to do. He’ll also have extra padding for his midsection.

Darnold: “Football is a crazy game but I want to make sure I’m safe.” Says he wants to make sure “I don’t die.” Best game plan I’ve heard in the league this year. — Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 3, 2019

Nobody wants Darnold to die, and if that means sitting out an additional week, no fan should argue with that decision. After all, this isn’t a matter of toughness — it’s how an organ is responding to an infectious disease.

Darnold is understandably willing to wait for the green light from doctors on this one. The Jets should have a clearer picture of his status after an ultrasound.