In Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, it looked like Justin Fields had the last laugh when he nearly outplayed Aaron Rodgers in a revenge game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It appeared, Mike Tomlin always had the last laugh when it came to Fields because he knew all along what we’re just now finding out: Fields isn’t it.
Fields had everyone fooled that he finally was ready to take over an NFL team when they went head-to-head with Rodgers and now that the Jets are winless through the first six games, it’s clear Fields was never going to be good enough to take an NFL team to the postseason. Fields can’t be trusted and the game in London is proof that Aaron Glenn took too big of a gamble on Fields.
Steelers fans probably thought they should have believed in Fields more and trusted him with this team this season. Had they done that, Tomlin wouldn’t have survived the season and pundits would have questioned why he wanted Fields over Rodgers.
Can Justin Fields ever resurrect the version of himself that played in Pittsburgh in 2024?
It’s a question Steelers fans wondered and Jets fans wished they didn’t. Fields’ biggest problem is he’s holding onto the ball way too long and late to make throws. The amount of throws he’s missed or simply hasn’t thrown is cost the Jets games. This year, according to Next Gen Stats, Fields has the third most average time to throw with 3.01 seconds, yet he only has 121 passing attempts, the ninth fewest of any quarterback with multiple starts this year.
Even if you look at the game-sealing sack the Denver Broncos had against Fields on Sunday, he held onto the ball too long, even if it was fourth and long. The point is, Fields doesn’t look anything like he did when he was with the Steelers last year and the question is why? This season was always going to be tough for him and the New York Jets as they were going through a regime change.
The biggest difference between his run with the Steelers and this year with the Jets is the fact that Pittsburgh kept him on a leash, which is probably why he looked better than he did. In Pittsburgh, they didn’t want him doing too much as he was just a short term option while Russell Wilson got healthy.
With full access to the offense, this is the Fields we’re getting and it’s clear a more simplified offense is probably better for him. The Jets have to play better than they are and that starts with Fields. He’s not turning the ball over, but he only has four touchdown passes this year. He’s not making mistakes, but he’s being too indecisive.
It was easy to overlook how he’s hurting this offense because his problems aren’t showing up in the box score. But they’re showing up on film and the Jets believing in Fields is a problem the Steelers are happy to avoid.
Was Aaron Glenn right to believe in Justin Fields after tumultuous start to NFL career?
Choosing who the quarterback of the New York Jets would be in the post-Aaron Rodgers era was always going to be a tough decision. I respect Glenn for eyeing who he wanted, but I think he didn’t realize the risk he was taking on not just giving Fields the keys to the offense, but then not adding a respectable backup that could help this team if things didn’t work out. The problem is that the Jets have no choice but to stick it out with Fields for the season.
They’ve been in search of their quarterback for years and that search will continue. The question becomes what does Glenn do in the interim as Fields is clearly not the answer. Against the Broncos, Fields finished with 45 total passing yards and including the nine times he was sacked, the Jets as a whole finished with a net -10 yards.
At this point, they’re better off just trading for a rookie or young quarterback who could play this year and either give them some hope or if nothing more, a spark. Glenn had every reason to think Fields could have helped this team, considering the options that were out there. The Jets put together a team that should be better than they currently are.
After six games, it’s clear Fields isn’t the answer Glenn and the Jets hoped he would have been. Is he much better than what Rodgers would have been, I don’t know. Fields’ struggles this year are highlighted by his inability to make a decision. It’s costing New York games and costing him his NFL career.