Justin Fields gets candid about Woody Johnson throwing blame on Jets QB while backing HC Aaron Glenn

Justin Fields will not let harsh comments about his play bother him -- even when they come from within his own team.

The New York Jets quarterback is among the most widely discussed signal-callers of the 2025 season, and not for good reason. He has been very inconsistent across the six games he has played, vacillating between strong 200-yard breakouts and sub-50-yard collapses.

He was benched last Sunday for veteran Tyrod Taylor during a loss at the equally struggling Carolina Panthers, and team owner Woody Johnson further aggravated the situation on Tuesday by criticizing him while defending coach Aaron Glenn:

"It's hard when you have a quarterback with a rating that he's got. I mean, he has ability, but something just is not jiving. ... You have to play consistently at that position, and that's what we're going to try to do for the remainder of the season."

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Addressing the remarks for the first time during practice on Wednesday, Fields, who had initially claimed not to have heard about them because he was "not on social media," said he was unbothered and still focused on getting the Jets’ first win:

"Of course, everybody knows I need to play better. We need to play better as a team. And of course no matter how the offense does as a unit, I’m going to get the blame. And I understand that. That’s just what comes with the job. You can’t let anything affect your mind… No matter if it’s him, no matter if it’s family members, even teammates sometimes."

Jets HC Aaron Glenn refuses to name starting QB vs. Bengals amidst Justin Fields controversy

There had been initial plans to start Tyrod Taylor in Justin Fields' place this coming Sunday at the Cincinnati Bengals, but a knee injury could force the Jets to turn to the former top-15 pick again.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Glenn refused to make a decision:

"We will have a quarterback on Sunday. I wouldn't want to give them a competitive advantage. I have all the confidence in the world in Justin. I have all the confidence in the world in Tyrod. I have all the confidence in the world in (third-stringer) Brady (Cook)."

Kickoff for that game is at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

Know More

New York Jets Nation! Check out the latest Jets Schedule and dive into the New York Jets Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Andre Castillo