New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields didn’t have much to say Friday in response to a question about getting benched in favor of Tyrod Taylor.
When asked for his reaction to the news, Fields told reporters, “There’s no reaction. That’s life. S–t happens.”
Earlier this week, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn made the decision to bench Fields and start Taylor for the team’s Week 12 game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
At 2-8, the Jets have been among the NFL’s worst teams this season, and their offense is a big reason why.
New York is 29th in total offense and 25th in scoring offense, averaging just 20.9 points per game. The passing game has been even worse with the Jets ranking last in the league with 139.9 passing yards per contest.
Fields, 26, is in the midst of the first season of a two-year, $40 million contract he signed with the Jets during the offseason.
He has made nine starts in 2025, missing one game due to injury. In those nine starts, Fields is 2-7, and he has completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception, while also rushing for 383 yards and four scores.
While Fields has mostly protected the football, his conservative approach has hurt the offense, as he has finished with fewer than 55 passing yards in four of his nine starts.
Of course, Fields has not been helped by the fact that the Jets provided him with little in the way of legitimate weapons in the passing game.
Garrett Wilson is the Jets’ unquestioned No. 1 wide receiver, but he has missed three games due to injury and is currently on injured reserve.
Outside of Wilson, the Jets’ top options in the passing game include a rookie second-round pick in tight end Mason Taylor, a rookie fourth-round pick in Arian Smith and second-year wideout Adonai Mitchell, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts.
Taylor, 36, is a 15-year NFL veteran playing for his seventh different team. He lost his only start this season and has appeared in three games overall, throwing for 379 yards, three touchdowns and three picks.
He has been a capable quarterback throughout his career, though, going 28-29-1 as a starter and earning a Pro Bowl selection with the Buffalo Bills back in 2015.
While Taylor is not a long-term answer at quarterback for the Jets, it is clear that the offense needs a spark, and he may be able to provide it better than Fields at this point in the season.