The New York Jets’ season was supposed to look different. Head coach Aaron Glennbrought in Justin Fields to lead the offense, leave the Aaron Rodgers era behind, and finally give the franchise a new identity. Seven weeks later, the optimism is gone. The Jets are 0-7 and frustration is spilling into public view.
Fields, 26, joined the team on a two-year, $40 million deal after showing flashes of potential in Chicago. Instead of leading a revival, he’s become the face of the struggle. Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers sealed another tough week, and the tension has reached the top of the organization.
At the NFL’s Fall League Meeting in New York, owner Woody Johnson decided to speak bluntly. “It looks like [Glenn’s] turning around parts of it,”Johnson told reporters. “It’s hard when you have a quarterback with the rating that we’ve got. He has the ability, but something’s just not jiving.”
Is Woody Johnson regretting Justin Fields?
Johnson didn’t stop there. “I think defense and special teams are doing better, the defense is pretty good. If we could just complete a pass, it would look good,” he added. The comments spread quickly across social media, with many fans accusing the owner of throwing his quarterback under the bus.
Fields’ numbers haven’t helped his case. The Jets managed minus-10 net passing yards against Denver, the worst mark in the NFL since 1998. He completed 9 of 17 passes for 45 yards and was sacked nine times in that game. Against Carolina, he went 6 of 12 for 46 yards before being replaced by veteran Tyrod Taylor at halftime.
Just one week earlier, Glenn had defended Fields in a passionate press conference. “You don’t bench a guy after one bad game,” he said. After the latest defeat, though, he refused to name a starter for next week’s matchup with the Bengals.
I think defense and special teams are doing better, the defense is pretty good. If we could just complete a pass, it would look good
Jets’ Future Hanging in the Balance
Johnson has made it clear he still supports Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. “That’s completely up to the coach,” he said when asked about the quarterback decision. “They’re the experts. They’ll make the right call with what we’ve got.”
That support, however, came wrapped in frustration. The Jets rank last in passing offense and remain the NFL’s only winless team. Fans are growing restless, and the locker room feels uneasy. Now, the owner himself has joined the chorus of critics targeting the player meant to change everything.
For Fields, the next few weeks will define his time in New York. He can either prove his doubters wrong or become another name on the long list of Jets quarterbacks who couldn’t escape the pressure of the city or the weight of the owner’s expectations.
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