Justin Fields’ Season Ends Early as Jets Turn the Page - Again
Justin Fields’ turbulent first year in New York is officially over. On Tuesday, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced that Fields has been placed on injured reserve, sidelining him for the final two games of the season. It’s a fitting - if frustrating - end to a campaign that never really got off the ground.
Fields has been dealing with knee soreness since early December and hasn’t seen the field since the Jets’ November 13 loss to the Patriots, when he was benched following a string of underwhelming performances. While Glenn didn’t confirm whether Fields will need surgery, he acknowledged the timing could work in the quarterback’s favor if a procedure is necessary.
“I’m going to let the doc hone in on that,” Glenn said. “If he does, it’s a great time to get it done, so he can get it knocked out and get himself healthy.”
That’s about as optimistic as the Jets can be right now. Fields was brought in this past offseason on a two-year, $40 million deal - a calculated swing by GM Darren Mougey and Glenn to see if the former top prospect could find new life in a different system.
But the results speak for themselves. Fields started nine games and led the Jets to a 2-7 record in those outings.
Statistically, he ranked 27th out of 32 qualifying quarterbacks in Total QBR (37.3), and passed for 1,259 yards with seven touchdowns and just one interception.
That may sound efficient on paper, but the eye test told a different story. Fields struggled with pocket awareness, often hesitating to get the ball out and showing reluctance to push the ball downfield.
The Jets’ passing offense never found a rhythm, and they currently sit dead last in the league in passing yards per game (145.9). That’s not all on Fields, but his play was a major factor.
The situation reached a boiling point in October when Jets owner Woody Johnson publicly criticized Fields at the NFL Fall Meetings in Manhattan. At the time, the Jets were 0-7, and the pressure was mounting from every angle.
Now, with Fields shut down, the team is turning to undrafted rookie Brady Cook, who will get the start this Sunday against New England. Tyrod Taylor, who had been the starter before suffering a groin injury in Week 14 against Miami, will serve as Cook’s backup.
As for Fields’ future in New York? That’s a question the Jets aren’t ready to answer - at least not publicly.
When asked if Fields would return next season, Glenn kept it short: “We will see how that goes. We are focused on New England.”
But the writing may already be on the wall. Fields is due $20 million in 2026, with $10 million of that guaranteed.
Given the performance and the team’s likely desire to reset at quarterback once again, Fields could be a cap casualty this offseason. A post-June 1 release would save the Jets $10 million - a move that seems increasingly plausible.
Glenn, to his credit, didn’t single Fields out when reflecting on the season’s disappointment.
“This is for any player that doesn’t have the season that we would like for them to have, it’s always disappointing,” he said. “I just don’t want to focus on Justin with this... But any player that we have high hopes for and the season doesn’t go the way we want it to go, we are always disappointed in that.”
It’s been a familiar story for the Jets - another quarterback experiment that didn’t pan out, another offseason looming with big questions under center. Whether it’s a rookie, a veteran, or both, the Jets will almost certainly be back in the quarterback market come spring.
For now, the Fields era in New York is on pause. Whether it resumes - or ends altogether - remains to be seen.