New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields reportedly has lost his starting job.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Jets are benching Fields in favor of veteran backup Tyrod Taylor ahead of their Week 12 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Fields’ role as the Jets’ starting quarterback has been in question since he was benched in the second half of a Week 7 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 19.
That loss, which left the Jets as the only winless team in the NFL, led to Jets owner Woody Johnson publicly criticizing Fields and defending head coach Aaron Glenn.
“If you look at any head coach with a quarterback like that, you’re going to see similar results,” Johnson said on Oct. 21.
The Jets didn’t announce a starting quarterback for Week 8 before the New York Post‘s Brian Costello reported Saturday that Taylor had been ruled out against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a knee injury.
That left Fields once more as the Jets’ starting quarterback, this time with undrafted rookie Brady Cook as backup.
Fields returned after a Week 9 bye for another start in Week 10, during which he led the Jets to a second straight victory by defeating the Cleveland Browns. However, he had another lackluster performance in a 27-14 loss to the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.
The Jets will now hand the ball to Taylor, who resumed his backup role after recovering from his Week 8 injury.
Taylor, who spent three seasons as the Buffalo Bills’ starting quarterback between 2015 and 2017, has spent almost a decade bouncing around the NFL as a QB2 option.
He has completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 379 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in three appearances and one start so far for the Jets this season.
As for where Fields might end up in 2026 if New York lets him go, he will likely need to spend some time as a backup quarterback to rebuild his reputation in the NFL.
The Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles have offenses built around dual-threat star quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts, respectively. Fields’ best option could be to learn behind one of them as he tries to improve as a passer while maintaining his skills as a runner. The Ravens, in particular, reportedly eyed rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 draft before he was selected by the Cleveland Browns, so they could be in the market for a backup behind Jackson.
The Las Vegas Raiders could also be a viable landing spot for Fields, as head coach Pete Carroll notably revived the career of veteran signal-caller Geno Smith when they were with the Seattle Seahawks. Smith has struggled a bit in his first year in Sin City, so adding Fields as a backup could provide some stability while giving Carroll a new reclamation project.
If Fields wants to return to his roots, the Ohio State alum could look to join the Browns or Bengals. He’s also a Georgia native, so the Atlanta Falcons could be a solid destination as he looks to revive his career.
