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Tyrod Taylor Jets Starting Quarterback: The New York Jets are making a change under center. Head coach Aaron Glenn has decided to bench Justin Fields. He’s turning to veteran backup Tyrod Taylor instead.
Taylor, now 36, will get the start on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. It’s a full-circle moment, as Baltimore drafted him back in 2011.
Glenn announced the switch during the team’s Monday meeting. It was their first gathering after the mini-bye.
Tight end Jeremy Ruckert admitted the demotion was tough to watch. He said it hurts to be part of it.
Ruckert, who played with Justin Fields at Ohio State, takes the criticism aimed at Fields personally. He hears the negativity and the constant talk about him.
He said it feels personal every time. Ruckert added that he’s on the field with Fields every week and wishes they could
have done more to support him. Even so, he praised Fields for staying calm and professional through all of it.
The decision didn’t catch anyone off guard.
Last Friday, Aaron Glenn mentioned he was “evaluating everything.” It was the first real sign that a change might be coming.
Justin Fields managed just 116 passing yards in the Jets’ 27–14 loss to the New England Patriots last Thursday. It was another reminder of how tough this season has been for him.
New York’s passing offense sits at the bottom of the league, averaging only 139.9 yards per game. Over his last five starts, Fields has produced just 505 total passing yards.
He’s under contract through 2026 after signing a two-year, $40 million deal in March. Still, his future with the Jets is far from settled.
All signs point to the team bringing in a new starter for 2026, whether it’s an experienced veteran or a young rookie.
Justin Fields is scheduled to earn $20 million in 2026. Half of that — $10 million — is guaranteed. His cap hit for the season will come in at $23 million.
At 2–8, the Jets currently hold the fifth pick in the 2026 draft. They also have two first-rounders that year.
In 2027, they’re positioned even better, with three first-round picks gained through the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades.
With that kind of draft capital, moving up for a quarterback should be well within reach. The Jets brought in Justin Fields believing he still had upside.
They handed him $30 million in guaranteed money, hoping he could grow into a steady starter. They felt he could develop despite his uneven stints with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers.
So far, that growth hasn’t shown up. Fields sits 30th out of 33 qualified quarterbacks in Total QBR at 37.7.
He has thrown only seven touchdown passes and recorded 1,259 passing yards. He has just one interception, but the passing game has struggled.
As a runner, he’s been far more effective. He ranks second on the team with 383 rushing yards and leads the Jets with four rushing touchdowns. The benching almost happened a few weeks earlier.
Fields was taken out at halftime of the Week 7 loss to the Carolina Panthers. According to sources, Aaron Glenn was already leaning toward starting Tyrod Taylor.
But the plan fell apart when Taylor was ruled out the night before the Week 8 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals because of a lingering knee issue.
With no healthy alternative, Glenn had to stay with Fields. Fields turned in his best game of the year just days after owner Woody Johnson called him out publicly.
The team rallied around him. They responded with 502 total yards, their most productive offensive game in years.
But the spark faded quickly. Fields threw for only 51 yards against the Cleveland Browns the following week.
He caught a break because the Jets still managed to win. Then came the rough outing against the Patriots.
“Obviously, we need to be better throwing the football,” Glenn said on Friday. He noted that a big part of that depends on Justin getting the ball to the right players.
Once again, the Jets find themselves in a messy quarterback situation. Aside from last season, when Aaron Rodgers handled every start, the team has been dragged down by constant instability at the position.
From 2021 to 2023, they ended up starting three different quarterbacks each year. In 2023, that number jumped to four after Rodgers tore his Achilles in Week 1.
Tyrod Taylor has started only one game this season. That came in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while Justin Fields was sidelined with a concussion.
Taylor threw two touchdowns and one interception. He even came close to pulling off a late comeback.
His career record as a starter stands at 28-29-1.
The Athletic was the first to report the quarterback change.
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