Heading into Week 8 of the NFL regular season, the New York Jets are the only winless team.
There is plenty of blame to go around, but some of it certainly belongs to quarterback Justin Fields. This is quite concerning, considering the fact that the Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract this offseason. He has recorded 845 passing yards, seven total touchdowns, and no interceptions thus far, and was benched in favor of veteran Tyrod Taylor in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers.
With the Jets sitting at 0-7, owner Woody Johnson is making it obvious he’s quite fed up with Fields.
What Did the New York Jets Owner Have To Say About Justin Fields?
A reporter asked Johnson what his confidence level is in first-year head coach Aaron Glenn to turn things around in New York, and the owner used it as an opportunity to take a rather brutal jab at Fields.
“Well, it looks like he’s turning around parts of it,” Johnson began, per Tom Rock. “You know it’s hard when you have a quarterback with the rating that we got. He has the ability, but something just is not jiving. If you look at any head coach with a quarterback like that, you’re going to see similar results across the league. You have to play consistently at that position, and that’s what we’re going to try and do for the remainder of the season.”
The criticism of Fields is certainly justified, as he is the No. 32-ranked quarterback this season with a 63.3 QB Impact grade. However, coming from the owner, who dished out a lucrative contract to the 26-year-old just a few months ago, it’s not the best look.
A follow-up was asked about what gives Johnson hope for the remainder of the year, to which he responded, “I think defense, special teams will go better. Defense is pretty good, and if we can just complete a pass, it would look good. We got to complete some passes. You got to convince them that you can do something. Otherwise, it’s hard to have a game that you could win.”
The Jets’ defense has also underwhelmed thus far, which is surprising because Glenn is a defensive-minded coach and the unit is filled with stars and solid contributors. The Jets’ defense ranks No. 24 in the league in PFSN’s Defense Impact grade (70.7).
While Fields would love an opportunity to silence his critics in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals, it sounds like the Jets will be starting Taylor going forward.