Justin Fields recently got injured during camp, but he returned the very next day. It was deemed a sprained toe, meaning the Jets dodged a bullet, as he’ll be just fine. Still, the moment fans saw reports of him being carted to the locker room, their minds went to some dark places. Shades of Aaron Rodgers and Vinny Testaverde started to materialize.
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As also expected, the New York media ran wild with the news. They began questioning Fields’ availability for the regular season. And some publications took it to extreme lengths to try and get a quote out of their head coach, Aaron Glenn.
Having missed just one day at camp, ESPN reporter Rich Cimini asked Glenn whether Fields was now behind in learning the offense. The question left the coach confused, as he tried to find the appropriate words to respond. But he couldn’t help pushing back against the suggestion.
“Why would you say that? He missed one day. He’s going to be just fine… He’s been in meetings,” Glenn responded (via the New York Jets YouTube.)
It is indeed a wild assumption to make. Fields has been present throughout all parts of the Jets’ offseason. Why would missing one practice mean he’s behind on learning the offense?
The Aaron Glenn versus Rich Cimini ‘battles’ at the #Jets podium:
Rich: ‘Once Justin [Fields] gets back into the flow of the 11-on-11s, what’s going to be the biggest challenge for him? Is it just learning the offense because he’s a little behind not too much but…’
AG: ‘Why… pic.twitter.com/VAGLyP3RG5
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) July 26, 2025
Coaches always want their players to put what they’ve learned into action. But Fields got injured on the first play from scrimmage in practice. The Jets and Glenn were smart to hold him out for the day just to be safe, even if it stirred up a media storm.
Look, we know Jets fans aren’t used to catching a break, but this time they did. It’s probably natural for them to jump to conclusions and look for backup plans in moments like these, yet it’s unnecessary as of now. Fields is fine and should be back at practice in no time.
If anything, this story highlights how thin the Jets’ backup quarterback depth is right now. Tyrod Taylor is next in line to start if Fields goes down. He’s a decent veteran who can run an offense, but he’s also 35 and hasn’t started since 2023.
All told, all is calm at the Jets facility for now. Fields, Glenn, and the entire organization dodged a bullet.
