It’s been almost two weeks since the New York Jets benched Week 1 starter Justin Fields, but it was the first time since the move that the quarterback addressed the media.
Fields was honest with his answers and expressed his self-confidence to the gathered reporters.
“I did not anticipate it whatsoever,” Fields said via the AP’s Dennis Waszak Jr.
“Last Friday, I felt myself in, like, kind of a ‘[expletive]’ moment to where it was like, yeah, it’s actually real.”
Fields also said he felt he would be a starting quarterback again in the NFL, but refused to answer if that would be with the Jets, and is taking things one week at a time, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
Tyrod Taylor Addresses the Justin Fields Benching
The veteran quarterback who usurped Fields, Tyrod Taylor, also spoke to the media on Wednesday.
As someone who has been benched multiple times throughout his 15-year career, he certainly understands what Fields is going through and sounded supportive in his answers.
Taylor was asked how the former Ohio State standout has handled being benched.
“His energy hasn’t changed. He’s a leader and one of our captains. He’s a team-first guy,” Taylor said.
“I respect the hell out of him for it because I know the circumstances are tough, but I also know Justin is a believer, he has faith, and he stands firm in that.”
It’s possible we could see Fields again at some point this season, after all, Taylor has a fairly large injury history and could get banged up over the Jets’ last six games.
At that point, it would be between Fields and undrafted free agent rookie Brady Cook, and as bad as the former Buckeye has been at times this season, he likely gives New York a better chance to win.
Hopefully, that isn’t the case, and Taylor stays healthy.
He played well in his first start in place of Fields, completing 60.7% of his passes for 222 yards, including a touchdown and an interception against the Baltimore Ravens.
Why Did the Jets Bench Justin Fields?
The reasoning behind Fields’ benching is a bit more nuanced than just his poor play.
Yes, the former first-round pick struggled to push the ball downfield, finishing four of his starts with less than 60 yards passing.
But he still had his legs as a weapon, and even with that facet for his game, the New York Jets opted to go with the less athletic Taylor.
ESPN insider Dan Graziano explained why Fields had to go to the bench.
“The Jets’ reason for moving from Justin Fields to Tyrod Taylor has a lot to do with their desire to evaluate the young non-quarterbacks on their roster, especially tight end Mason Taylor and recently acquired wide receivers John Metchie III and Adonai Mitchell,” wrote Graziano.
“They know Tyrod Taylor brings increased turnover risk because he’ll take chances Fields won’t, but they need to figure out what they have in the rest of their receiving corps before making an offseason plan. And they felt they weren’t going to be able to do that with Fields constantly checking it down and/or holding the ball too long.”
In the first game after Fields’ benching, it’s safe to say New York’s offense performed better under Taylor’s guidance.
We’ll see how the rest of the season plays out for the quarterback-needy Jets.
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