The New York Jets, led by first-time head coach Aaron Glenn, brought in Justin Fields with high hopes last offseason, believing the former first-round pick could finally stabilize their quarterback situation. He signed a two-year, $40 million deal, but just one year later, Fields is now with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Fields struggled throughout his lone season in New York, starting nine games and completing just 128 of 204 passes for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception. He also added 383 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. However, the Jets went 2–7 in his starts, prompting Glenn to bench him in favor of veteran Tyrod Taylor ahead of their Week 12 matchup.
After finishing the season with a 3–14 record, New York chose to move on, trading Fields to Kansas City in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick. The team has since acquired veteran quarterback Geno Smith and is expected to select another quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick, signaling the start of yet another rebuild.
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Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Glenn declined to place the blame for the disappointing 2025 season solely on Fields.
"That was a situation that just didn't work out," Glenn said. "I can't sit here and say I regret it because I think Justin is a really good player. I put the fault on me - I didn't do enough to put him in a position to be successful. And I'm always gonna say that, that's my job as a head coach.
"So, I think he is going to do well in Kansas City, I really do. He is a good person, and he is a good player and I think Andy Reid is going to do a good job with him."
Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and LCL that cut his 2025 season short and could put his availability for Week 1 of the 2026 season in doubt. In the meantime, Fields provides Kansas City with a capable insurance option, offering dual-threat ability that can help keep the offense competitive.
While Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has made it clear he views Fields as more than just a gadget player, the 27-year-old will have to embrace the backup role behind Mahomes, at least for now, until his next opportunity to start emerges.
