New York Jets

It's safe to say that New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is excited for his new quarterback.

The Jets signed quarterback Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract in free agency. This reunites Fields with former college teammate Garrett Wilson and will give the 26-year-old a new opportunity to revitalize his career.

When asked about Fields, Johnson called Fields a "total winner" and that he has been "impressed by him" since he was at Ohio State."

"I think Justin Fields is going to be a total winner for us," Johnson said, per Antwan V. Staley of the New York Daily News. "I've been impressed with him since his college days. It was he or Trevor Lawrence, and I think he is going to be really good."

Fields was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and went to the Chicago Bears. The Jets held the No. 2 pick in that draft and instead drafted quarterback Zach Wilson, who struggled as the team's starter and is now a backup for the Miami Dolphins.

The regime that chose Wilson is no longer employed by the Jets, and Johnson's comments show that the team heavily considered Fields back then. Now, Fields has been declared the team's starting quarterback and they hope he can develop into a long-term solution.

He appeared in 10 games and started six games in 2024 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He threw for 1,106 yards with five touchdowns and one interception and also added 289 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

With the team's full faith in him, Fields will hope his dual-threat ability can help the Jets break a postseason drought that dates back to 2010.

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson called the newest installment of the NFLPA's annual survey "totally bogus" after the franchise was graded particularly harshly.

"My first read is I think it's totally bogus," Johnson told reporters Monday. "But we want to get better every day. I want to be No. 1 in everything."

The Jets ranked 29th overall in the 2025 report card and received an "F" grade for their ownership.

The summary stated Jets players believe Johnson "does not contribute to a positive team culture" and only "is somewhat committed to building a competitive team."

"They also cite perceived top leadership issues, with some describing issues as 'top-down problems,'" the report card said. "The Jets' ownership grade dropped from a B- to an F, with Woody Johnson receiving the league's lowest owner score for contributing to a positive team culture."

Johnson elaborated Monday his contention stems with the way in which the exercise was conducted.

"How they collected the information, who they collected it from," he said when asked about his specific disagreement. "It's supposed to be a process where we have representatives and they have representatives so we know it's an honest survey. And that was violated in my opinion. So I'll leave it at that. But there's a lot of owners that looked at this survey and said this is not fair, not balanced, it's not every player, it's not even representative of the players."

Whether the NFLPA survey is "bogus" or not, it reinforced a lot of concerns from outside of the organization.

Despite having star quarterback Aaron Rodgers back healthy, New York went 5-12 in 2024 and missed the playoffs for the 14th straight year. Head coach Robert Saleh was fired in October, and general manager Joe Douglas followed him out the door in November.

The coup de grâce came in December, when The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver dropped a withering story outlining why things spiraled so badly.

A good chunk of blame was laid at the doorstep of Johnson, who was described as "over-involved" and "impulsive" based on interviews with more than 20 people. The Athletic report said another opinion is that the owner is "consumed with the public perception of his franchise, sometimes at the expense of on-the-field success."

When it comes to his response on Monday, Johnson was kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Especially in the New York media market, the 77-year-old would've been mocked mercilessly if he came out and said something to the extent of, "Yes, I probably was the worst owner in the NFL."

At the same time, him calling the report card "bogus" gives the impression he doesn't think there's an underlying problem within the franchise.

The New York Jets haven't been as active in free agency compared to past years.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed that the team's "quiet" offseason was by design, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic.

"You don't win in the offseason," Glenn said, via Rosenblatt.

"Listen, I'm a huge believer in just moving in silence and letting things play out the way they need to play out," he added, per ESPN's Rich Cimini.

New York's most notable offseason move was signing quarterback Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal.

The Jets also signed starting cornerback Brandon Stephens and safety Andre Cisco, but most of their free-agent acquisitions have been depth pieces.

"This doesn't need to be a big hoopla of what we're doing," Glenn said, per Cimini. "We just want to go about our business and coach these players and try to create an atmosphere for the players that's totally different than probably what they've been used to."

One of New York's other key offseason moves was the addition of Glenn himself, who was hired on Jan. 22 after spending the past four seasons as defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions.

The Jets gained plenty of attention following their blockbuster trade for Aaron Rodgers in April 2023, but the move didn't pay off. Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles to open his first season in New York and finished with a record of 5-12 as a starter during his 2024 campaign.

Instead of making flashy moves, the Jets will hope that Fields can build upon his 2024 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers while expecting continued development from young players such as Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Will McDonald and Sauce Gardner.

As New York enters its first year with Glenn patrolling the sidelines, it took a different approach to the offseason.

New York Jets first-year general manager Darren Mougey put any questions about the team's quarterback position to rest on Sunday.

Per ESPN's Rich Cimini, Mougey declared that Justin Fields will be QB1 for the Jets after signing a two-year deal with the team earlier this offseason to be the successor to Aaron Rodgers following his release.

"We believe Justin is the starter," Mougey told reporters at the annual league meeting. "We believe in Justin. We believe we can win with Justin, so we're excited about Justin."

Fields spent the 2024 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being traded from the Chicago Bears, who drafted him with the 11th pick in 2021. He will now be with his third team after agreeing to a $40 million deal with the Jets that includes $30 million guaranteed.

Mougey added that the Jets organization is confident that Fields can follow the career trajectory of quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield as former first-round picks who found success after bouncing around the NFL.

"We have seen some of that as of late and it did [play a factor] as we went through the process, and we think we could have the same," Mougey said of Fields.

In six starts for the Steelers last season, Fields showed signs of improvement from his early deficiencies. He completed a career-high 65.8 percent of his passes for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and just one interception.

"You saw it last year," Mougey said. "He was 4-2 as the starter and probably had some of the best quarterback play of his career. We're going to do everything to support him when he gets here."

Fields brings new energy to the Jets offense as a dual-threat quarterback in his athletic prime, a stark departure from the 41-year-old Rodgers, who was coming off a torn Achilles that cost him the 2023 season. Mougey called his running ability "a unique athletic skill set that adds another dimension to the game that's hard to defend."

The Jets also have veteran backup Tyrod Taylor and 2024 fifth-round pick Jordan Travis in their quarterback room, but it sounds like it will be Fields' job to lose as the team tries to end its perennial misfortune.

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has high expectations for quarterback Justin Fields entering the 2025 season.

"He has a quiet confidence about himself," Glenn told NFL Network's Judy Battista on Saturday (h/t NFL.com's Christian Gonzales). "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. So, he's going to do everything he can to be one of the better ones and we are going to coach our asses off to make sure he does a good job out there."

Fields signed a two-year, $40 million contract that included $30 million guaranteed with the Jets on March 10.

The former first-round pick spent the 2024 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, starting the first six games of the year as Russell Wilson dealt with a calf injury and making 10 total appearances with the team.

Fields owned a record of 4-2 as a starter.

He completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 1,106 yards and five touchdowns compared to just one interception. Fields also picked up 289 yards and five more scores on the ground.

He's been one of the league's top rushing quarterbacks throughout his four years in the NFL, but his improvement as a passer in 2024 is an encouraging sign for New York.

Throughout the start of his career with the Chicago Bears from 2021-23, Fields completed just 60.3 percent of his throws and averaged 166.9 yards per game through the air. He recorded 40 touchdown passes and was picked off 30 times, finishing with a record of 10-28 in 38 starts.

The Jets will be hoping that he can build upon his 2024 campaign as they attempt to end the NFL's longest active playoff drought. Fields already has some familiarity with one key offensive player, as he was previously teammates with standout receiver Garrett Wilson in college at Ohio State.

As for Glenn, he was hired by New York on Jan. 22 after spending the past four seasons as the defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions.

The new head coach and quarterback will attempt to help the Jets bounce back from a disappointing 2024 season, finishing with a 5-12 record.

After failing to turn things around with Aaron Rodgers under center, the New York Jets took a big swing in free agency by signing quarterback Justin Fields as his replacement.

While a two-year, $40 million deal with $30 million fully guaranteed is a hefty price to pay for an unproven player like Fields, The Athletic's Mike Sando spoke to a quarterbacks coach who praised Fields' athleticism and expressed optimism about how he fits with the Jets.

"Fields is the best athlete on the field every time he plays," the QBs coach said. "He’s really young (26). He’s a tough guy, physically and mentally. He can play in that style of (dual-threat) offense at a higher level than Sam Darnold can play in a traditional style of offense."

Fields is known for his dual-threat skills and has compiled 2,365 rushing yards across 44 career starts, the second-most by a quarterback to start his NFL career behind only Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson's 2,729, per Sando.

However, Fields also showed improvements in his passing skills in his lone year with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. In six starts, he threw for five touchdowns and just one interception while completing a career-best 65.8 percent of his passes.

It will be up to new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and first-year offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand to maximize Fields' skills as they try to lead the franchise out of the basement of the NFL.

There has reportedly been quite the vibe shift for wide receiver Garrett Wilson after the New York Jets moved on from Aaron Rodgers and added Justin Fields this offseason.

"Wilson has told friends he's thrilled with the addition of Fields," ESPN's Rich Cimini wrote Sunday. "It's no secret that he and Rodgers didn't see eye to eye last season, but now he has a quarterback he knows and respects. They've maintained a good relationship, another reason Wilson is said to be excited about 2025."

In December, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported "all is not well with Rodgers and Wilson" and added that "privately, there have been questions regarding whether Rodgers and Wilson can find common ground since they had a blowup during training camp."

Rapoport also noted that Wilson was "frustrated" at times with a "lack of looks" from the future Hall of Famer after the Jets traded for Davante Adams last season.

Many wide receivers would have to establish chemistry with the addition when a team signs or trades for a new quarterback. However, that will not be the case with Wilson and Fields considering they were college teammates at Ohio State during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns.

The Buckeyes reached the College Football Playoff in each of those seasons and advanced to the national title game in the second one. Wilson then played his final collegiate season in 2021 with C.J. Stroud under center after Fields went on to the NFL.

While Wilson is established as an impact playmaker in the NFL with three straight seasons of more than 1,000 yards to start his career, joining the Jets feels like something of a flashpoint for Fields.

He didn't live up to expectations as a potential franchise quarterback for the Chicago Bears and then spent most of the 2024 season backing up Russell Wilson on the Pittsburgh Steelers. There is no doubting his talent, especially when it comes to making plays with his legs, but he is yet to turn the corner as a surefire game-changer in the NFL.

New York is giving him a chance to do just that, and he will have weapons around him with Wilson and Breece Hall.

It shouldn't take long to start making plays with Wilson given their history, and the wide receiver is reportedly fired up to run things back with his fellow Buckeye.

The signing of Justin Fields doesn't close the door on a rookie quarterback for the New York Jets.

Rich Cimini of ESPN reported that the Fields signing does not eliminate the chance of the Jets drafting a quarterback and that they could take one "at any point in the draft."

"The addition of Fields does not preclude them from drafting a quarterback," Cimini wrote. "If their conviction is strong enough, they could take one at any point in the draft, even in the first round if Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) slips to them at No. 7. But chances are they wouldn't take the QB plunge until Day 2 or even Day 3. The beauty of Fields' contract (two years, $40 million) is that it's essentially a one-year commitment for $30 million. The Jets can reevaluate next offseason."

The Jets signed Fields at the start of free agency and will hope he can gel alongside former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson in the New York offense. Fields made six starts in 2024, going 4-2 before Russell Wilson reclaimed starting duties for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Jets went 5-12 in 2024 and missed the postseason for the 14th consecutive season. The team moved on from quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the season. The contract to Fields shows that the team feels confident about the 26-year-old's upside, but hedging their bet with a rookie could be a strong option.

Shedeur Sanders could be available when the team is on the clock with the seventh pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He is rated as the No. 18 overall prospect and the No. 2 quarterback by Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department.

While he could easily could be off the board by the seventh pick, selecting him could be a wise move considering Fields' lack of proven success. If Fields works out and the team wants to extend him, Sanders could be dealt to a needy team in the future. If Fields struggles, a strong option would still exist behind him.

Several other quarterbacks, including Jaxson Dart, Quinn Ewers and Will Howard, could be solid options for this as well and may fit into a later round.

The 2025 NFL Draft is set for April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The New York Jets and free-agent quarterback Justin Fields agreed to a two-year contract worth $40 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Per Schefter, the deal also includes $30 million guaranteed.

Fields will now sit atop the Jets' quarterback depth chart that also includes veteran Tyrod Taylor as well as 2024 fifth-round pick Jordan Travis.

Before joining New York, Fields appeared in 10 games with the Pittsburgh Steelers during his 2024 campaign.

The 26-year-old will also succeed Aaron Rodgers as New York's starter under center after the team announced it was moving on from the veteran on Feb. 3.

Fields started the first six games of the 2024 season for the Steelers as Russell Wilson was sidelined with a calf injury, helping the team open the year with a 4-2 record.

The No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft completed a career-high 65.8 percent of his passes for 1,106 yards and five touchdowns while getting picked off once. Fields remained a dual-threat option, rushing for 289 yards and finding the end zone five times on the ground.

There's some risk involved with New York's reported signing, as he failed to meet expectations as a passer during the first three years of his career with the Chicago Bears. Fields owned a 10-28 record as a starter in Chicago, tossing 40 touchdowns compared to 30 interceptions in 40 total appearances.

He'll now attempt to help the Jets bounce back offensively after they averaged a mere 19.9 points per game in 2024, the eighth-worst mark in the NFL.

New York has a familiar face for Fields to work with, as he was previously teammates with standout wide receiver Garrett Wilson in college at Ohio State. Wilson has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in all three years of his NFL career.

As the Jets attempt to snap the league's longest active playoff drought in 2025, they reportedly brought in Fields as their new starting quarterback.

The New York Jets have been believed to be targeting quarterback Justin Fields in free agency, but they reportedly have other options in mind if he returns to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

SNY's Connor Hughes reported on Sunday that he believes the Jets would "turn their attention to" veteran quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Carson Wentz if Fields signs a new contract with the Steelers, who are interested in retaining him following his promising first year with the team.

Fields appeared in 10 games and made six starts for Pittsburgh while Russell Wilson was sidelined with a calf injury. The Steelers went 4-2 with Fields under center, and he finished the year with 1,106 passing yards, five touchdowns and an interception plus 289 rushing yards and five more scores. His completion percentage of 65.8 percent was by far the best mark of his career.

Hughes noted that the Jets' interest in Fields "is well known." However, a return to the Steelers became more attractive after the team completed a trade with the Seattle Seahawks to acquire star receiver DK Metcalf. Pairing Metcalf with George Pickens would give Pittsburgh's starting quarterback a talented receiver duo, so Fields could opt to stay put and continue his development under head coach Mike Tomlin.

Both Mariota and Wentz saw limited action during the 2024 season. Mariota spent the year as the backup to Washington Commanders star rookie Jayden Daniels, who went on to be named NFL Offensive Rookie of the year. Wentz was with the Kansas City Chiefs as Patrick Mahomes' backup as the team made a run to Super Bowl LIX but fell to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Jets are ushering in a new era under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey, so the team will need to make the right moves this offseason to convince a downtrodden fan base that things are moving in the right direction.