A new stat following the New York Jets‘ latest defeat offers up more evidence for why the team must tank for the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and move on from Justin Fields.
On Sunday, the Jets took the top spot in a category Aaron Glenn was hoping to avoid in his first season as head coach. After five weeks in the new NFL season, New York is now the only team that remains winless after falling to the Dallas Cowboys at home in Week 5.
While quarterback Justin Fields had good numbers on Sunday (309 total yards and two touchdowns), he did not play well in his role as the leader of the offense. They managed just 22 points against one of the worst defenses in the league, and he was sacked five times as he posted an awful 24.2 quarterback rating.
The loss also brought to light a terrible stat that should put a nail in the coffin of the idea that Fields is a legitimate starting QB in the league. In games where the opposing team scores 21 or more points, the 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft has a horrifying record of 0-26.
It sends one clear message. In an era where the game is geared toward offense first, Fields just can’t hang and will only win games if he is on a team with a top 10 defense. That is why the New York Jets must start planning for the end of the Fields era and tank for the No. 1 pick in April.
Justin Fields stats (2025): 0-4 W-L, 754 passing yards, 7 total TDs, 0 INTs, 204 rushing yards
New York Jets need to move on from Justin Fields
new york jets
Credit: Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Jets’ decision to give Justin Fields a two-year contract worth $40 million in the spring wasn’t an outrageous decision. With a new head coach and general manager leading the way, wanting to start fresh and move on from the disaster that was Aaron Rodgers’ two years in New York made sense.
Furthermore, they weren’t in a position to select one of the QBs they had a high value on in the 2025 NFL Draft. And the five-year veteran looked good as he went 4-2 in his six starts for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. However, there was always an understanding that this could be Fields’s last real chance at being a starter in the league. The first four weeks of the new season now confirm Fields won’t be a long-term answer at QB for Gang Green.
Is it all his fault the Jets have a 0-4 record? No. But this season is just more evidence that he is still the player he has been his entire career, and that is not a franchise QB. Or even a competent winning signal caller. Should the Jets bench Fields in Week 6? Probably not. But as the season plays out, they must consider it, because they have a big goal next spring.
Why the Jets must quiet quit to get No. 1 pick
new york jets
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The only positive in New York having the worst record in the NFL right now is that they own the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft. And next year’s event seems to have much more upside when it comes to the QB class than last year did.
Four college football signal callers have the attention of NFL scouts heading into next year. They are Dante Moore (Oregon), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), and LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina). If the Jets’ season continues as it has, they are in play for any of those players with franchise QB potential. In a year where the QB prospects are better, New York needs to stay in range to take the best one.
That is why the Jets must be open to some quiet quitting as the season plays out. Do Glenn and GM Darren Mougey want to have a terrible two-to-four-win campaign in their debut? Of course not. But they must think big picture. Since both are new, they are safe for at least another year or two. Fields will not save their jobs, but a young QB prospect with high upside can.
The team hasn’t had anything close to a franchise QB since Chad Pennington in the 1990s. If Glenn and Mougey can finally find one, they automatically stand out compared to their predecessors and will get far more rope to build a consistent winner in New York. They must think long-term and tank the rest of the season.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos