Justin Fields will likely be the starting quarterback of the New York Jets.
“Justin’s a young, talented quarterback with a unique, athletic skill set that adds another dimension to the game that’s hard to defend,” Mougey said Sunday. “And then diving into the person, knowing him, his leadership, he was just a good fit.”
A reporter then asked Mougey if Fields was the starter.
“He is the starter,” said Mougey.
“We believe in Justin, we believe we can win with Justin, so we’re excited about Justin’s potential,” he added.
But Fields will face some competition for his starting spot. “Tyrod [Taylor] is going to be right on his heels,” Mougey said. Mougey called the 15-year veteran Taylor a “pro’s pro” who knows how to prepare for the league, and said he would be a “great asset” in the quarterback room.
In his press conference Monday, Glenn gave insight on the team’s goals for Fields.
“Obviously we want to utilize his legs, but we also want him to play quarterback,” Glenn said. “This off-season we’re going to allow him ... to go out there and run an offense, and we’re going to make sure we surround him with the right type of people. ... I think he’s a dynamic player, and I think there’s more that we can get out of that player.”
“He has a quiet confidence about himself,” Glenn said. “He can really throw the deep ball really, really well. Obviously, his legs are something that’s dynamic not just in college but the NFL as well. I just think he’s ready to break out as a top-notch quarterback.”
Fields was drafted by the Chicago Bears out of Ohio State with the 11th overall pick in 2021. He served as backup to Andy Dalton, but took over the starting role early in his rookie season. He started 10 games, going 2-8, and throwing for 1,870 yards and seven touchdowns but with 10 interceptions. He also added 420 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
In his second season in 2022, he went 3-12 in 15 games as a starter, throwing for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns with 11 interceptions; he rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, becoming the third quarterback in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. He had his best statistical season in 2023, going 5-8 in 13 starts and throwing for 2,562 yards and 16 TDs with nine interceptions; he rushed for 657 yards and four TDs.
Fields’s struggles largely stemmed from consistently poor offensive line play. Fields was sacked 36 times in his rookie season. In 2022, he was the most-sacked quarterback in the league, with 55 sacks. He also led the league in fumbles that year with 16, though he lost only two of them. He was sacked 44 times in 2023.
When the Bears acquired the first overall pick in the 2024 draft via the Carolina Panthers, they selected USC’s Caleb Williams and traded Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he competed with Russell Wilson for the starting job. Wilson was injured for the first six weeks of the season, which made Fields the starter. He did not have outstanding stats, throwing for just 1,106 yards and five touchdowns with one interception, and adding 289 rushing yards and five TDs; however, he had a career high in completion percentage (65.8) and passer rating (93.3), was sacked only 16 times, and posted a 4-2 record, including three straight wins.
