Justin Fields

Woody Johnson Criticizes Justin Fields’ Play; Jets Close To Naming Tyrod Taylor Starter

October 21st, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets had taken the rookie route during most of their time between Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, deviating only during the Ryan Fitzpatrick–Josh McCown years ahead of the Sam Darnold pick. Now, they have turned to back-to-back veterans, with Justin Fields succeeding Rodgers.

As Rodgers has bounced back in Pittsburgh, Fields is floundering in New York. The Jets pried Fields from a Steelers team interested in re-signing him, handing out a two-year deal worth $40MM ($30MM guaranteed at signing). Outfitting the shaky passer with a top-heavy pass-catching corps, the Jets have received poor play. Woody Johnson is among those concerned about the quarterback.

“It looks like (Aaron Glenn) is turning around part of it,” Johnson said (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy). “It’s hard when you have a quarterback with the rating that we’ve got. He has the ability, but something is not jiving. If you look at any head coach with a quarterback like that, you are going to similar results across the league. You have to play consistently at that position and that’s what we’re going to try to do.

“… If we could just complete a pass, it would look good. You have to convince them that you can do something, otherwise it’s hard to have a game that you can win.”

No stranger to throwing his weight around, Johnson endorsing Glenn (while making pointed criticism about his new regime’s QB choice) is notable. The recent firings of Urban Meyer, Nathaniel Hackett and Frank Reich during their first seasons shows teams have been willing to cut the cord early if an operation skids far off track. A GM informed the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora he could see Johnson making another impulsive move and firing Glenn during or after his first season in charge. Johnson, however, called Glenn “the real deal” when speaking to media (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler) today.

A former standout Jets cornerback who became a hot coaching commodity this offseason, Glenn has steered the team to an 0-7 mark. Although the Lions were on a similar path to open the 2021 season — Glenn’s first year as Detroit’s DC — that team did not have the defensive talent the current Jets squad does. Despite working with Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams, Quincy Williams, Will McDonald and the recently re-signed Jamien Sherwood, Glenn has the Jets’ defense sitting 26th in scoring and 27th in EPA per play. While New York does sit 16th in yardage (an improvement over last season’s 20th-place ranking), the team has disappointed in just about every facet this year.

Glenn will be given more time to turn this around, but he will need to make a quarterback decision after benching Fields in Week 7 and not committing to starting him in Week 8. Fields sits 31st in QBR; among current starters, only Cam Ward is worse. Never viewed as a particularly accurate passer, Fields had been tabbed to pilot an offense featuring little in terms of aerial weaponry outside of Garrett Wilson. The recently extended wideout is now injured, and the team predictably sputtered without its top weapon.

Glenn benched Fields a week after he took nine sacks and threw for just 45 yards in a loss to the Broncos, and the demotion — one the HC dismissed after the London loss — appears close to being a long-term plan. The first-year HC is moving toward Tyrod Taylor as the team’s Week 8 starter, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports.

Taylor has only been given starts due to injuries over the past four seasons. Although he opened the 2018, ’20 and ’21 campaigns as a starter (in Cleveland, Los Angeles and Houston), he sat behind the likes of Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito (for a stretch in 2023) and Rodgers since. The 15th-year QB is in the second season of a two-year, $12MM deal — one the Jets handed out after they did not add a veteran to backstop Rodgers in 2023.

This would move Taylor’s start count to 60. The former three-year Bills starter has plenty of experience filling in, but a benching of this sort would be much more relevant for Fields, who had commanded considerable interest as a free agent. The Steelers preferred he and Matthew Stafford to Rodgers, but after they parked Fields near midseason (as Russell Wilson recovered from a calf injury), the 2021 first-rounder became more open to looking elsewhere. He found a taker in the Jets, but the results have proven wildly disappointing.

With Johnson making these comments, the coaching staff’s relationship with its handpicked starter may need some mending. Though, the Jets have more obstacles to overcome than worrying about a struggling QB’s mindset.

Whether this will be a short-term reset or the Jets admitting a mistake early, Johnson saying (via Cimini) the QB call is “completely up to the coach” will apply some heat on Glenn. GM Darren Mougey is also under the microscope considering how his first QB swing is going.

For now, Glenn is in good standing. But at 0-7, the rookie HC will need to show progress soon to avoid one-and-done rumors. It appears the coach is showing more faith in Taylor to help create that progress. By 2026, however, rumors figure to connect the Jets to an aggressive pursuit of another rookie option under center.

Jets Bench QB Justin Fields

October 19th, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

10:05pm: When speaking after the game (video link), Glenn noted the quarterback change was aimed at sparking a turnaround in the second half. With no such momentum change taking place after Taylor took over, Glenn declined to commit to his Week 8 starter.

2:27pm: The first half of Sunday’s Jets-Panthers matchup produced another underwhelming outing on the part of New York’s offense. A change has now been made under center.

Justin Fields handled starting duties for the first two quarters of today’s game. During that span, he completed just six of his 12 pass attempts for 46 scoreless yards. Fields was also sacked three times, bringing his total in that regard to 22 this season despite missing Week 3 with a concussion. Tyrod Taylor is now in the game.

On multiple occasions early in the campaign, head coach Aaron Glenn has offered public support for Fields. The free agent addition received an endorsement after last week’s poor showing, resulting in today’s start. It was recently reported, however, that Taylor has been supported by some in the Jets’ building dating back to training camp. For at least two quarters, the veteran will have the opportunity to earn future playing time.

Fields was unable to reach expectations as a first-round pick during his tenure with the Bears. In advance of selecting Caleb Williams first overall last spring, Chicago traded him to Pittsburgh; that swap was aimed at giving Fields a path to continue operating as a starter. Indeed, the 26-year-old handled the QB1 role early in the campaign until Russell Wilson was healthy. In a move which was not unanimous in the organization, the Steelers elected to keep Wilson atop the depth chart through the rest of the season.

Prior to eventually signing Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh showed interest in retaining Fields. Instead, the Ohio State product wound up inking a two-year pact with the Jets. That $40MM deal contains $30MM in guarantees, something which confirmed Fields’ status as the starter through the offseason. A major factor in New York’s 0-6 start was the play of the team’s offense, though. Fields has yet to throw an interception, but today’s benching will not come as much of a surprise given the extent to which he has not delivered on expectations in 2025.

Taylor is a pending free agent. The 36-year-old’s value on the open market will certainly change if he receives an extended look in the QB1 position through the remainder of the season. A decision on that front, of course, will be influenced by Taylor’s performance in the second half against Carolina.

Fields was one of the top quarterbacks in free agency this past spring based in large part on his age and rushing ability. The Jets – having released Rodgers shortly after the arrival of Glenn and first-year general manager Darren Mougey – signed him as a bridge option under center with questions still looming about a long-term solution. Fields could certainly be back in the lineup next week, but if not there is a chance today’s move will mark an end to his run as an NFL starter.

QB Tyrod Taylor Has Support In Jets’ Building

October 13th, 2025 at 11:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of the Jets’ latest loss and their highly ineffective performance on offense, head coach Aaron Glenn was asked about the possibility of a quarterback change. Justin Fields remains atop the depth chart for now, but there is not a consensus in the organization that is the right move.

SNY’s Connor Hughes reports “several” people within the locker room have expressed a position that Tyrod Taylor would be a better option at the quarterback spot than Fields. This sentiment dates back to training camp, per Hughes. No competition for the QB1 spot took place during the summer, with Fields landing the QB1 gig upon signing a two-year free agent deal.

That $40MM pact contains $30MM fully guaranteed. Considering that level of commitment, it comes as little surprise Fields has received a vote of confidence on more than one occasion despite New York’s 0-6 start. When speaking to the media on Monday, Glenn said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) he did not give thought to replacing Fields with Taylor during the team’s loss to the Broncos yesterday. Doing so could have helped create a quarterback controversy, something Glenn seeks to avoid.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to monitor how the Jets’ quarterback setup is handled. A continuation of the team’s losing streak – especially if Fields is unable to bounce back from his 45-yard, nine-sack showing on Sunday – will no doubt lead to an increase in calls for Taylor to take over. Pressure on that front could come from within the organization given the contingent which would have preferred Taylor begin the year atop the depth chart.

Fields, 26, offers upside with his rushing ability and has posted 204 yards and three touchdowns on the ground so far in his debut Jets campaign. The former first-rounder has also set new personal bests in a number of passing categories, albeit in a way which has not lent itself to much in the way of overall production on offense. New York ranks last in the NFL with an average of 175 passing yards per game, and the team sits 25th in scoring.

While Fields is under contract through 2026, Taylor is a pending free agent. The 36-year-old has made just one start so far in his Jets career (filling in for an injured Fields in Week 3), which dates back to last season. If at least some in the organization had their way, though, that figure would increase.

Jets Still Committed To Justin Fields As Starting QB

October 12th, 2025 at 10:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Justin Fields was absent from Week 3 while recovering from a concussion. Head coach Aaron Glenn made it clear at the time, however, that the starting gig would be his upon return.

Indeed, Fields has led New York’s offense since he came back in Week 4. Things have largely not gone according to plan with the free agent signing in the lineup, though, and that was especially the case on Sunday. During the Jets’ loss to the Broncos in London, Fields amassed just 45 passing yards while being sacked nine times.

Following the Jets’ 13-11 loss, Glenn was asked whether or not a quarterback change is being considered. Benching Fields – who inked a two-year deal this spring containing $30MM guaranteed – would result in veteran Tyrod Taylor taking over. Once again, Glenn offered a reply stating Fields will remain atop the depth chart at this point.

“There’s a number of guys that, you know, I mean, sometimes this league is like this,” Glenn said when asked if Fields will be benched (video link via SNY). “There are guys that have bad games. That doesn’t mean you just bench him.”

Across his four games with the Jets this year, Fields has completed 67% of his attempts while posting a passer rating of 100.1. Both of those marks are career bests. The 26-year-old has also matched his personal watermark with an average of 7.1 yards per attempt, and he has yet to throw an interception. With an additional 204 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, it is easy to see the appeal of keeping Fields in place moving forward. The former Bear and Steeler is already owed $10MM in guaranteed salary for next year, something which adds further to the upside of maintaining the current depth chart from Glenn’s perspective.

Taylor has been with the Jets since last season. During that time, he has made just four appearances and one start (while Fields was sidelined). The 36-year-old is a pending free agent, so any extended run as QB1 would of course be key in determining his market value next spring. For now, at least, Taylor should not be expected to take over.

Glenn and the Jets fell to 0-6 with today’s loss. As such, New York is expected to operate as a seller ahead of next month’s trade deadline. No quarterback moves are anticipated in that respect, but by the time the second half of the campaign begins it will be interesting to see if Fields is still viewed as the team’s starter.

Jets QB Justin Fields To Play In Week 4

September 27th, 2025 at 10:51am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced the quarterback Justin Fields had cleared concussion protocol and would return to the field in Week 4.

“Justin is playing,” said Glenn (via SNY’s Connor Hughes).

Fields sustained the concussion after a poor start against the Bills in Week 2. He was sidelined for a week of practice and the Jets’ next game, but returned as a full participant this week. After starting last Sunday, veteran Tyrod Taylor will return to his backup role.

New York still scored 27 points against the Buccaneers without Fields, but the offense should have more upside with him in the lineup. He will get an exploitable matchup right away against a Dolphins defense that has allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw for a league-high 128.9 passer rating this year. The unit is also one of three in the NFL that has not forced a turnover so far this year.

Fields’ debut as a Jet was one of the best games of his career, and the team will be hoping he can quickly return to that level. He showed off a rapport with former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson on an early touchdown connection before scoring twice on the ground himself in the second half. He also limited negative plays, taking just one sack and avoiding any turnovers.

A repeat performance in Miami could go a long way to steady a Jets team that has started the season 0-3. Their defense, however, will be without edge rusher Jermaine Johnson for a second week in a row due to an ankle injury, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. He returned from last year’s Achilles tear in time for the season opener, but didn’t have much of an impact before going down in Week 2. Rookie Tyler Baron saw his playing time increase in Week 3 and will likely have a similar role on Sunday.

Jets QB Justin Fields Returns To Practice

September 25th, 2025 at 1:05pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Jets quarterback Justin Fields returned to practice on Thursday, per Brian Costello of the New York Post, but he is still in concussion protocol with four days to go until the team’s Week 4 matchup with the Dolphins.

Fields was knocked out of the game in Week 2 and missed Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers. Backup Tyrod Taylor started in his stead and completed 26 of his 36 passes (72.6%), but only managed 5.5 yards per attempt. He also threw an interception that was returned by Jamel Dean for a touchdown. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed on Monday that Fields would remain the team’s starter once he cleared concussion protocol.

Fields impressed in his first start of the year, leading the Jets to 30 points against the Steelers, but went 3-for-11 in Week 2 before suffering his concussion in Week 2. A return to the field would be a boost to a New York offense that has been surprisingly effective to start the year with at least 27 points in two of their three games.

This weekend’s trip to Miami offers a major opportunity for Fields to bounce back from his Week 2 struggles. The Dolphins have allowed the most points and the second-most yards per passing attempt so far this year.

If Fields is unable to play, Taylor will start for the second week in a row with rookie Brady Cook likely receiving another practice squad elevation to serve as the backup.

Aaron Glenn: Justin Fields To Remain Jets’ Starter Upon Return

September 22nd, 2025 at 2:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Justin Fields was absent for Week 3 while recovering from a concussion. The free agent addition has yet to receive clearance, but when that happens he will reprise his role as the Jets’ starting quarterback.

Once Fields was ruled out for yesterday’s game, veteran Tyrod Taylor was confirmed as New York’s top option for the contest. The 36-year-old posted 197 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on Sunday while also chipping in with 48 yards on the ground. Taylor will not retain QB1 duties if Fields is healthy for Week 4, though.

“Justin came in as our starter,” head coach Aaron Glenn said on Monday (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “He’s been our starter. Tyrod was the backup. I want to make sure I know exactly where Justin’s at. I don’t want to say anything until I know that Justin’s clear. So once Justin is clear, I’ll let you know exactly where we’re going.”

Indeed, Fields will not be eligible to play until he clears concussion protocol. It is commonplace for players to miss one game upon suffering a concussion, but a return before the two-game mark is relatively standard. If the 26-year-old manages to play in Week 4, he will look to return to the form shown during his Jets debut as opposed to his outing in Week 2.

Fields totaled 218 yards and one touchdown through the air in Week 1 while adding a pair of rushing scores in the process. The following game – New York’s lopsided loss against Buffalo – saw a much less productive outing before Fields exited through injury. As the Jets seek out their first win under Glenn and Co., being back at full strength under center would be key.

Taylor has 96 appearances and 59 starts to his name, so he will give the Jets a highly experienced option in the event Fields is not able to suit up against the Dolphins one week from today. If the opposite is true, though, Taylor will return to the backup role.

Fields inked a two-year, $40MM pact in free agency with $30MM guaranteed. Given the nature of that investment from rookie general manager Darren Mougey, it comes as little surprise the former first-rounder will be back atop the depth chart once he is healthy.

Jets Rule Out QB Justin Fields For Week 3

September 17th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jets added insult to injury when they lost starting quarterback Justin Fields to a concussion during their Week 2 loss to the Bills, and head coach Aaron Glenn announced today that he would remain sidelined in Week 3.

Fields was replaced by 15-year veteran Tyrod Taylor, who will start in his stead on Sunday against the Buccaneers. Rookie Brady Cook would then be in line for an elevation from the practice squad as the backup, though the Jets still have plenty of time to add a more experienced signal-caller.

Fields put up an excellent performance in Week 1 against the Steelers, gashing his former team through the air (218 yards, one touchdown) and on the ground (48 yards, two touchdowns) while taking only one sack and avoiding turnovers. In Week 2, however, he completed just three of his 11 passes for 27 yards while taking two sacks and fumbling twice before exiting the game.

Taylor was more successful after taking over the offense, though he couldn’t engineer a comeback. The Jets previously expressed confidence in their veteran backup after Fields’ injury scare during training camp, but the 0-2 team’s Week 3 matchup with the undefeated Buccaneers will be a stiff challenge on both sides of the ball.

This is the first concussion of Fields’ NFL career, though he missed has multiple games with injuries in three of his four seasons. The Jets will be hoping that he can progress through concussion protocol in time for their divisional contest with the Dolphins in Week 4.

Jets QB Justin Fields Suffers Concussion

September 14th, 2025 at 5:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets fell to 0-2 on Sunday and they lost their starting quarterback in the process. Justin Fields is also in danger of missing New York’s Week 3 game.

Midway through Sunday’s loss against the Bills, Fields hit his head on the turf while being hit immediately after an incompletion. One play later, he was sacked. Fields was then taken to the medical tent for evaluation and brought to the locker room alongside the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant for further concussion tests.

After being evaluated, Fields was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Head coach Aaron Glenn has since confirmed the free agent addition is in the concussion protocol, per Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports. Players can sometimes progress through the protocol in time to suit up for the following game. It is far more common, however, for at least one contest to be missed while recovering.

As a result, there is a strong possibility Tyrod Taylor will be counted on to handle starting duties for New York in Week 3. It was Taylor that stepped in for Fields today. An abysmal day for Fields, in which he completed just three of 11 pass attempts for only 27 yards while rushing five times for 49 yards, put Taylor in a tough situation. In the two drives that the veteran was able to put together, it didn’t take much for Taylor to surpass Fields passing total and score the team’s only touchdown of the day, granted Buffalo’s defense probably featured more youth than usual at that point in the game.

The only other name on the team’s roster is practice squad rookie Brady Cook out of Missouri. Cook may get called up the backup Taylor if Fields can’t clear the protocol in time, but Taylor should be the only one we see play. Taylor lasted started a game in the 2023 season, when he won two of five starting opportunities with the Giants. His experience makes him the clear choice over Cook if Fields can’t go.

After home losses to the Steelers and Bills, things don’t get much easier for New York as they hit the road for back-to-back games in Florida against the Buccaneers and Dolphins. With the Jets set to play their third straight playoff team to open the season, hopes will be high that Fields can make it through the protocol in time to play. New York will have Taylor preparing as QB1 in the meantime.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Jets QB Justin Fields Returns To Practice On Limited Basis

July 27th, 2025 at 8:51am CST by Nikhil Mehta

JULY 27: Fields took part in individual drills and 7-on-7 work on Saturday, per Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. The club’s new QB1 thrived in the 7-on-7 session, showing good mobility and completing all six of his passes, including one touchdown toss.

Fields did not take any 11-on-11 reps, and Glenn says the passer still has “a ways to go” before he returns to full participation. Still, a frightening situation is clearly trending in the right direction.

JULY 24, 9:30pm: Fields’ injury is not considered significant, Cimini reports. In spite of the relatively positive update, missed time should still in store. Per Vacchiano, Fields could be sidelined for a portion of training camp along with some or all of the preseason. Both follow-up reports indicate a return to full health in time for Week 1 is expected, and the team has since confirmed Fields is dealing with a dislocated toe, a much less severe ailment than some of the alternative outcomes.

10:07am: Jets quarterback Justin Fields was carted off the field this morning after suffering a dislocated toe during practice, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The severity of Fields’ injury remains unknown, but the Jets appear to have avoided a worst-case scenario with a toe injury rather than one to the knee or lower leg. Furthermore, the affected toe was not fractured, nor is it the big toe, per Rapoport.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) that he believes Fields’ toe was stepped on during a play. The 26-year-old quarterback is expected to undergo more tests to determine how long he will be sidelined.

Glenn expressed confidence in Fields’ backup, Tyrod Taylor, a journeyman quarterback who played for four different teams over the past five seasons.

“We have an outstanding backup in Tyrod, who’s been in this league for around 14 years,” said Glenn. “[With] the leadership he brings, we’re all good.” Glenn also noted that Taylor brings a similar skillset to Fields that will allow the Jets to continue developing their offense with minimal interruption.

“I don’t think there’s any drop-off as far as what we want to do in terms of play-calling,” continued Glenn (via FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano). “We’re all excited to have that guy here.”

That excitement won’t continue if Fields’ injury is more severe and he ends up sidelined for an extended period of time. It appears initially that the Jets have avoided major disaster, but further testing will provide a more definitive outlook.

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