Leading up to the start of the legal tampering period in the NFL, quarterback Justin Fields was connected heavily to both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets, both of which offered an opportunity to start in 2025 — and potentially beyond.
Ultimately, Fields made his choice to move on from the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin, signing a two-year, $40 million deal with the Jets with $30 million guaranteed.
He hadn’t done any interviews since leaving the Steelers for the Jets, but on Thursday morning on newyorkjets.com, Fields revealed the reasoning behind why he left the Steelers for the bright lights of New York.
Simply, it was due to new Jets’ head coach Aaron Glenn.
“I think, No. 1, Coach Glenn,” Fields said regarding why he chose New York, according to newyorkjets.com. “I’ve played against him early in my career. I know how passionate he is about the game, the way he coaches, the way his players play. So I think that was the biggest thing for me.
“And just the opportunity, the fans, of course, the city. When you win here, there’s no better place to win. Those reasons are ultimately why I ended up here.”
The Jets hired Glenn away from the Detroit Lions, where he was the defensive coordinator since 2021, on January 22, giving him a five-year contract. Glenn was one of the hottest commodities in the head coaching carousel this offseason, and the Jets did well to bring home the former cornerback, who played in New York from 1994-2001.
Shortly after the Jets hired Glenn, New York decided to move on from Aaron Rodgers, creating a need at the quarterback position. With fellow Ohio State wide receiver and former college teammate Garrett Wilson already in the mix, along with other young offensive talent like running back Breece Hall and young offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, the Jets appeared to be a good landing spot for a young quarterback.
Coupled with the familiarity with Glenn having played against him for multiple years as a member of the Chicago Bears, playing for him in New York made a great deal of sense for Fields, leading to him signing early in free agency.
For Fields, Glenn wanting him to be his quarterback moving forward means a great deal, considering the success Glenn has had as a defensive coordinator, and the impact on the game he had as a player, too.
“Our relationship playing against each other means a lot because Detroit, of course, they’ve had a lot of success the past couple of years,” Fields said regarding Glenn, according to newyorkjets.com. “So for him to want me here is definitely an honor, and I’m going to put it all on the line for him and do all I can to help this team be successful.”
The move to New York ultimately wasn’t shocking for Fields, especially after he reportedly didn’t respond to a contract offer from the Steelers leading up to the legal tampering window, making him poised to test the open market.
The Steelers made it clear throughout the offseason that they wanted to move forward with him as the starting quarterback, but the benching after Week 6 in the 2024 season, and then the limited playing time after that in specific packages possibly rubbed Fields the wrong way.
Though he said after the season that he’d love to return to the Steelers for 2025 and beyond, his actions spoke loudly, leading to him heading to New York.
Since Fields’ departure, the Steelers remain in limbo at quarterback, ironically awaiting a decision from the 41-year-old Rodgers as only free agent signing Mason Rudolph and reserve/futures contract player Skylar Thompson are the only quarterbacks on the roster at the moment for the Black and Gold.
The Steelers and Jets will meet during the 2025 season in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium.
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