New York Jets News & Rumors

With the Jets off to a league-worst 0-7 start, owner Woody Johnson made it known on Tuesday that he was unhappy with quarterback Justin Fields‘ performance. Johnson’s scathing remarks may have helped pave the way for a QB change this week, but he’ll have to wait at least one more game.

The Jets have ruled backup Tyrod Taylor out for Week 8 against the Bengals with a knee injury, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports. Fields will start in Cincinnati, while undrafted rookie Brady Cook will serve as his backup.

Fields has yet to throw an interception this season, the first of a two-year, $40MM contract, but the former Bear and Steeler has been at the helm of an offense that has averaged just 18.4 points per game. He has combined for seven touchdowns (four passing, three rushing) and completed 63.7% of passes for 845 yards.

As always, Fields has been a threat on the ground, having racked up 257 yards on 42 rushing attempts (6.1 yards per carry). That hasn’t been enough to produce a Jets victory in 2025.

With their offense unable to generate much in a 13-6 loss to the Panthers last week, rookie head coach Aaron Glenn pulled Fields in favor of Taylor. He hardly lit it up (10 of 22 for 126 yards and two picks), but the Jets were nonetheless expected to turn to Taylor on Sunday.

Glenn appeared likely to make his QB decision public closer to game time, but Taylor’s injury has forced the Jets’ hand early. Taylor, who was limited in practice all week, said he suffered the injury on “a helmet shot to the knee last game.” The 36-year-old underwent arthroscopic surgery on the same knee in August, which sidelined him for the entire preseason.

Barring a stellar performance from Fields in Week 8, and depending on the severity of Taylor’s injury, Glenn will likely face the same questions about the QB position after Sunday’s game. With the Jets on a bye next week, he’ll have extra time to make a decision on a starter for their game against the Browns on Nov. 9.

After Jets owner Woody Johnson made remarks following the team’s latest loss criticizing the play of starting quarterback Justin Fields, there was plenty of speculation that the team could be close to demoting him from his starting role. According to the latest from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, most people believe that veteran Tyrod Taylor will be starting for New York this weekend.

Fields’ boom or bust performances this season have been dramatic in their dichotomy. In three strong performances, Fields has averaged 294 yards and three touchdowns when combining passing and rushing stats. In three poor performances, two of which contained early exits, Fields has averaged 73 combined yards with no scores.

Fields has done an impressive job of limiting turnovers — something he’s struggled with in the past — despite being on pace to get sacked a career-high number of times this season. He’s yet to throw an interception but has lost two of three fumbles. The most important stat — the one that has team ownership taking shots at him to reporters — is that over six starts to open the season, Fields has yet to win a game with the Green & White.

To be fair, neither has Taylor. In his lone start and in the times he’s spelled Fields after early exits, Taylor hasn’t seen much more success than Fields. But he also hasn’t been working with the first-team offense, something that changed this week as the two split reps on the first team. Taylor has seen more success than Fields elsewhere in his career, though.

While Fields career outside of a six-game run as an injury replacement for the Steelers has seen losing stints with the Bears and Jets, Taylor has seen winning campaigns — and even a Pro Bowl campaign — in his years of experience. The only problem is that this came during his three-year stretch with the Bills — the only years in which he was ever a full-time starter — that took place eight years ago.

At this point, it’s difficult to say which passer gives New York the best chance at earning its first win: the obviously struggling Fields or the 36-year-old Taylor. In fact, nothing has been announced as to who will start for Gang Green this weekend. Rapoport posits that rookie head coach Aaron Glenn is, perhaps, purposely shrouding what his decision will be on Sunday, in order to give his opponents as little information to prepare with as possible as he seeks any advantage in an attempt to win for the first time as an NFL head coach.

It looks like Glenn will keep his cards close to the chest, making this a game-time decision. Rapoport has called out the first-year coach’s poker face, though, voicing many people’s belief that Taylor will replace Fields as the starter on Sunday.

Week 7 saw the Jets make a halftime change at the quarterback spot. Since then, owner Woody Johnson has offered a scathing evaluation of Justin Fields‘ play during his debut campaign in New York.

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In the wake of those comments, the expectation has emerged Tyrod Taylor will take over starting duties on a permanent basis. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the team is certainly operating as though a change in the depth chart will take place in time for Week 8. Fields said (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) he and Taylor split first-team reps during practice on Wednesday.

Taylor’s second-half performance against the Panthers saw him complete just 10 of 22 passes for 126 scoreless yards. The 36-year-old also threw a pair of interceptions. The Jets will need better play from under center regardless of who handles starting duties moving forward. Taylor is a pending free agent, whereas Fields inked a deal in March which runs through the 2026 season and contains $30MM in guarantees.

When speaking to the media about the quarterback situation (video link via SNY), head coach Aaron Glenn said a decision has been made with respect to the Jets’ Week 8 starter. It has not been announced, though, meaning speculation about the team’s direction will continue over the coming days. The Jets have a top-10 rushing offense this season but they rank last in the NFL in passing yards per game. Finding a better balance on offense will be key to ending the team’s seven-game losing streak.

Provided New York moves forward with Taylor, questions will be raised about Fields’ chances of operating as a QB1 again in the NFL. The former Bears first-rounder went 4-2 as a starter with the Steelers last season, indicating he could find success on his third career team. That has not proven to be the case so far, and Fields’ first campaign in New York could soon include a backup spell.