One week after chastising a reporter for questioning Justin Fields’ status as the Jets’ starting quarterback, New York head coach Aaron Glenn did a humiliating about-face in Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Glenn finally benched Fields in the third quarter after seeing the fifth-year pro and first-year Jet complete just 6 of 12 passes while taking three more sacks in what has become something of a routine.
Last week in London, Fields was dropped nine times while completing just nine passes in a loss to the Denver Broncos. But at the time, Glenn didn’t want to hear any suggestion that Fields could be demoted.
‘C’mon man,’ Glenn said in response to the New York Post’s Brian Costello. ‘What kind of question is that?’
Still winless as a head coach after Sunday’s 13-6 defeat, Glenn didn’t have an answer when asked if Fields or veteran journeyman Tyrod Taylor would start next week in Cincinnati.
He did, however, say he inserted backup Tyrod Taylor to jolt an offense that was stuck in neutral.
Justin Fields was yanked in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn finally benched Fields in the third quarter after seeing the fifth-year pro and first-year Jet complete just 6 of 12 passes while taking three more sacks
‘I understand the nature of the quarterback change and, listen, we needed a spark,’ Glenn said. ‘At that time, I felt it was the right time to do it. It was my call.’
Taylor moved the ball, gaining 126 yards on 10 completions, but tossed two costly interceptions as the Jets managed only a field goal with him under center.
Fields hasn’t been all bad this season. He hasn’t thrown an interception and he’s completed a respectable 80 of 123 passes (65 percent).
However, those completions have averaged just 6.5 yards, which ranks in the bottom third of NFL passers.
Most troubling, the former first-round pick has taken 22 sacks this season, which is worse than all but rookie Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward’s 30.
It’s a problem that plagued Fields during his disappointing three-year stretch with the Chicago Bears, although he took just 16 sacks over ten starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) tries to avoid a tackle by Carolina Panthers linebacker D.J. Wonnum (98) during the first quarter of Sunday’s loss in New Jersey
Backup Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor (2) walks off the field after Sunday’s defeat
Jets fans area already setting their sights on Indiana Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza
Regardless, Jets fans are already setting their sights on the 2026 NFL Draft, where they could have the first-overall pick and a chance at surging Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who tossed for four touchdowns and 332 yards in a win over Michigan State on Saturday.
‘WELCOME TO THE NEW YORK JETS MENDOZA,’ one fan wrote on X.
Another added: ‘Fernando Mendoza should be the Jets pick.’
One less-optimistic fan followed by writing: ‘I can’t wait for the Jets to ruin Fernando Mendoza.’
