Ralph Vacchiano
NFL Reporter
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – It was quiet across the New York Jets’ observe fields this spring — quieter than it’s been in a very long time. For years, they’ve heard principally noise, particularly round their quarterback place. It was loudest through the two years of the Aaron Rodgers regime.
Rodgers is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ downside now, although, and in his place is a quarterback working remarkably removed from the highlight. Perhaps it’s due to his resume. Perhaps it’s the low expectations. Or possibly it’s simply who he’s. However Justin Fields has been asserting himself because the Jets’ newest quarterback hopeful with out attracting a lot consideration.
Seems, that’s precisely how the Jets prefer it. After a long time of quarterback noise, the silence appears to be what they like.
“He isn’t attempting to be the movie star quarterback,” new Jets coach Aaron Glenn mentioned after a observe in Might, borrowing a phrase from one in all his mentors, Corridor of Fame coach Invoice Parcells. “He is simply attempting to be himself. And no matter comes with that, it comes with it. So, he isn’t attempting to impress anyone. He is going on the market and he is busting his [butt], attempting to be the perfect quarterback he may be for this staff.
“Everyone sees that. And I like that.”
Up to now, the Jets have favored all the pieces they’ve seen from the 26-year-old Fields since they signed him to a two-year, $40 million deal again in March. He was their best choice this offseason, as soon as the brand new regime of Glenn and normal supervisor Darren Mougey shortly determined to maneuver on from the enigmatic and crumbling Rodgers. And so they had been thrilled when Fields selected them, though the Steelers tried to deliver him again.
What they see, Glenn has mentioned, is a proficient quarterback who hasn’t been put in lots of good conditions since he was the eleventh general choose of the 2021 draft. His first three years with the Chicago Bears had been stricken by fixed teaching and coordinator modifications, accidents, and a seemingly infinite battle for the beginning job. The Bears finally traded him to the Steelers earlier than the 2024 draft for a sixth-round choose.
Justin Fields went 10-28 in his three seasons because the Bears’ beginning quarterback. (Photograph by John Fisher/Getty Pictures)
Fields really had a mini-revival with the Steelers final season, beginning the primary six video games for the injured Russell Wilson. Pittsburgh went 4-2 and Fields threw just one interception whereas reducing down on his penchant for reckless scrambling. And whereas he solely threw for greater than 200 yards in two of his six begins, it was nonetheless a promising flip, particularly concerning his accuracy. He accomplished a career-best 65.8% of his passes final yr. However as quickly as Wilson was wholesome, Fields was despatched again to the bench.
The Jets noticed sufficient to decide to him as their starter, although, though not everybody across the NFL believes their troubled franchise can present him the form of optimistic state of affairs he probably must thrive. It is a franchise that has been aimlessly looking for quarterback stability for almost 50 years, since Joe Namath threw his final go of their inexperienced uniforms. Fields in all probability isn’t the long-term reply or the true franchise quarterback they’ve been craving.
However for now, they assume he might be the right match.
“He is clearly a bodily proficient participant,” mentioned new Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. “Everyone talks concerning the working. Effectively, the man’s acquired an arm, too, and he does an amazing job with that. Mentally, he is phenomenal. There’s simply numerous issues that you are able to do with that kind of participant that is going to place stress on a protection and make that defensive coordinator keep up late at night time.”
“You sense the seriousness about him, the competitiveness,” added Jets tight finish Jeremy Ruckert, who performed with Fields at Ohio State (together with present Jets receiver Garrett Wilson and heart Josh Myers). “He’s super-athletic. However I believe the largest factor about him is his psychological toughness. Nothing’s going to rattle him. He’s good for this staff and this space. He desires the stress. He’s constructed for it.”
If that’s true, that’s good as a result of the stress is excessive. The Jets went a disappointing 5-12 final season, which triggered proprietor Woody Johnson to do one other semi-regular cleansing of his poorly-built home, firing each head coach Robert Saleh and normal supervisor Joe Douglas through the season. And whereas the fanbase is used to a sure degree of chaos and distress, the Jets’ present run is reaching epic proportions. They’ve missed the playoffs a league-worst 14 straight years, by which they’ve misplaced a minimum of 10 video games 10 instances and completed above .500 solely as soon as.
No one thinks Fields can single-handedly elevate the franchise out of these depths, however the quarterback’s success (or lack of it) might nonetheless be a telling signal for the brand new regime, since signing him was the primary main resolution of the Mougey-Glenn period. And so they know turning Fields into the quarterback he was as soon as imagined to be received’t be straightforward. They’ve heard all of the criticism all through his profession — the accuracy points, his incapability to course of issues shortly on the line of scrimmage, his penchant for working when he ought to keep within the pocket, and his maddening inconsistency. A few of that has even been on show through the spring too, particularly through the necessary minicamp in mid-June.
Justin Fields and Garrett Wilson fashioned top-of-the-line QB-WR duos in faculty soccer throughout their time at Ohio State. (Photograph by Ralph Freso/Getty Pictures)
However so had been his higher attributes — his cannon arm, his outstanding athleticism, and at instances his potential to throw an ideal, thread-the-needle strike. That a minimum of gave the Jets cause to hope.
“You don’t see numerous quarterbacks capable of transfer the best way he’s capable of transfer,” mentioned security Tony Adams. “And I believe individuals underestimate his arm expertise. He has nice arm expertise.”
“I imply, the dude’s a freak,” added defensive finish Rashad Weaver. “He has each attribute. His arm is a rocket.”
Fields’ bodily potential has by no means been doubtful going again to when he led Ohio State to the faculty soccer remaining 4 in each his seasons as a starter. However by way of the primary 4 years of his NFL profession, he hasn’t been capable of harness all that potential. The Jets, although, assume they’ve options for his flaws. And it’s extra than simply tailoring the offense of their first-time offensive coordinator round his abilities, or planning a run-based assault that would restrict what he’s requested to do.
They’re additionally taking a singular, hands-on strategy by attempting to see precisely what he sees on the sector. All through the spring, all of the Jets quarterbacks had GoPro cameras connected to their helmets. Then they’d assessment the footage with the coaches, so everybody might undergo the progressions collectively. They may all see what Fields noticed, and, to an extent, what he was considering on each play.
Then they may all stroll him by way of it in outstanding element, to get him extra snug and assist him make higher, faster choices when the video games start.
“It is superior,” Engstrand mentioned. “I am simply telling you, I can not consider we did not do that earlier than. It’s unbelievable. We are able to hear him on the line of scrimmage, making his test. You’ll be able to see his eyes, the place he is going, after which you’ll be able to see him undergo the development. You’ll be able to see all the pieces from his vantage level.”
Fields appears to assume that may assist him study and course of defenses faster, and the coaches are satisfied it can. Their optimism, although, is about greater than technical fixes. It’s actually concerning the match. Up to now, Fields has confirmed to be all the pieces Rodgers wasn’t. And that began with him being current. There have been no camel rides by way of Egypt as an alternative of attending minicamp, no airing organizational laundry on nationwide podcasts, no headline-grabbing conspiracy theories or temporary attention-seeking forays into politics.
As a substitute, Fields spends his time doing what leaders are imagined to do. He’s been on the sector and within the constructing, attempting to out-work everybody. And when he wasn’t there, he was attending to know the gamers he’s attempting to steer off the sector, too.
“Justin is doing issues outdoors the constructing that exhibits how he is attempting to simply have relationships with all of the gamers,” Glenn mentioned. “And never simply the offensive gamers, both, simply with all of the gamers on the staff. That has rather a lot to do with management there, simply having the ability to talk with offensive guys, defensive guys, it does not matter, particular groups. He is doing a very good job of that.”
That’s a small however important factor that Fields has tried to emphasise. Again in Might, he took his offensive linemen and tight ends to a golf simulator for a number of hours. He went with one other group of teammates to a crab boil. He’s frolicked understanding with them, after all, away from the power. And he’s made positive to have one-on-one time with as a lot of his teammates as he can, too.
“I believe that camaraderie, that closeness that we’re attempting to get to as a staff, all of that simply makes us play for one another extra,” Fields mentioned. “It’s actually simply issues you’ll be able to’t measure on the soccer discipline, however I believe the nearer our staff is, the higher we’ll be.”
It has additionally made him one thing that his older, odder predecessor wasn’t — relatable. Fields is purposely not a quarterback up on a pedestal. He’s put himself on the identical degree as everybody else within the Jets’ constructing. It helps, as working again Breece Corridor famous, that he’s “younger, like us, so we speak about numerous the identical stuff.” However it helps much more that he’s genuine.
Aaron Rodgers is now in Pittsburgh, but it surely’s laborious for individuals who comply with the Jets to not examine their new quarterback’s off-field habits to that of his predecessor. (Photograph by Joe Sargent/Getty Pictures)
He’s not attempting to be what his teammates want, or what he thinks a quarterback is meant to be. He’s simply being who he’s.
“He’s been cool to be round,” Corridor mentioned. “He’s only a good dude.”
“Guys can form of choose up in the event you’re being actual or not or in the event you’re placing on an act contained in the constructing,” Fields mentioned. “So, I believe an important factor when doing that’s simply being your self and guys can inform that, guys can inform in the event you’re real, in the event you’re after all being who you say you’re.”
No less than to this point, he’s been a wanted, calming presence. He has freed the Jets from the Rodgers circus and any of their ordinary quarterback-induced distractions. He has proven the standard quantity of offseason, new-team optimism, saying “I believe I may be nice” and “the sky’s the restrict for this staff,” however he’s in any other case kept away from saying or doing something that may trigger a regional or nationwide stir.
What he’s carried out, to the delight of his teammates and coaches, is simply put his head down and go to work.
“This man is only a workaholic,” Engstrand mentioned. “He is available in early, he is right here late, and he is attempting to digest all the pieces and obtain all the data and do issues the fitting approach. He is attempting to do issues that we’re asking.”
“He’s had numerous ups and downs, being a excessive draft choose and being on a few totally different groups,” Weaver added. “However that’s a dude that simply is available in and works and doesn’t appear too bothered by what’s happening round you. If that’s your quarterback’s mindset and the way he controls himself and doesn’t waver, I believe he’ll be in an excellent place it doesn’t matter what.”
After all, whereas all that’s good and inspiring, Fields’ success will nonetheless come all the way down to how he performs within the fall. If the Jets are proper, the NFL might be in for a giant shock. That is nonetheless a staff loaded with offensive weapons and a harmful protection. They’ve simply been ready for the fitting quarterback and a reliable coach to drag all of it collectively. In the event that they’re improper, they’ve wasted nothing, actually — Fields’ contract is small by NFL quarterback requirements and comprises solely $10 million in assured cash in 2026 — and so they can strive once more in what is anticipated to be a quarterback-rich draft subsequent yr.
However they’re betting on the previous. They consider that, whereas the New York Giants and Steelers had been pining for Rodgers, and groups just like the Seahawks (with Sam Darnold) and Raiders (with Geno Smith) had been kicking the tires on Jets retreads, and a bunch of quarterback-needy groups had been reaching right into a flawed and much-derided draft class, they in some way pulled an ignored diamond out of the scrap heap.
Justin Fields is looking for to finish the lengthy record of disappointments the Jets have had at quarterback, which incorporates Aaron Rodgers and Sam Darnold. (Photograph by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Pictures)
It will be a number of months earlier than they’ll know in the event that they had been proper. However for now, it appears clear that Fields is working laborious to show that they’re. And he’s doing it simply the best way they prefer it — quietly, away from the cameras and off the again pages of the tabloids. And he’s doing it that approach on the sector, too. He hasn’t been overly demonstrative, flashy and even raised his voice a lot together with his teammates.
He’s simply been laborious at work, as far-off from the highlight as he can get.
“He simply [has a] form of a quiet confidence about him,” Engstrand mentioned. “A little bit lead by instance. However in the event you might be within the huddle, there’s some command there. And when he is speaking, the blokes pay attention. I believe that is the perfect half about it. He does not should be overly vocal or outlandish and excessive together with his communication with guys. It is simply actually an instance, lead by instance, and when one thing must be mentioned, he’ll say it and so they’ll pay attention.”
“Sure, he’s a quiet voice,” Glenn added. “However that quiet voice does not imply that folks do not hear him. Individuals see the best way he works. That speaks greater than what you say. And I like that about him as a result of he’s himself and he is genuine, and he isn’t going to vary for no person.
“I might relatively have that than any individual that is faux.”
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He spent the earlier six years protecting the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and earlier than that, 16 years protecting the Giants and the NFL for the New York Each day Information. Comply with him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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