Aaron Rodgers may not have made up his mind (at least publicly) about what the his NFL future will look like, but the New York Jets are confidently marching into a new era without him. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer, of course, was released by New York with a post-June 1 designation earlier this year. This designation allows the Jets to spread out his cap hit over the next two seasons instead of taking the hit in one fatal swoop this year.
Indeed, the Jets’ Rodgers Era, once filled with promise and Super Bowl aspirations, was an immense failure. They went 7-10 in 2023 while the four-time NFL MVP missed virtually the whole season with a torn Achilles. In 2024, they went 5-12 with him healthy.
The New York Jets Have Replaced Aaron Rodgers with Justin Fields
In addition to cutting ties with Rodgers earlier this offseason, New York has replaced him with one of his former NFC North rivals, former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who spent the 2024 NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers (ironically, the only team interested in signing the former Jets quarterback).
Fields, of course, is a former first round pick by the Bears, but never was able to reach his potential in Chicago. In four seasons with them, he was just 10-28 as the starter, completing a paltry 60.3% of his passes for 6,674 yards, 40 touchdowns, 30 interceptions, and an 82.3 passer rating.
But Fields still raised eyebrows during his tenure with Chicago due to his running abilities. In 2022, he rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, making him just one of three quarterbacks in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson are the other two.
Last season, Fields began the year as the Steelers starter while Russell Wilson recovered from an injury. In 10 games (six starts) with Pittsburgh last season, Fields completed 65.8% of his passes for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, one interception, and a 93.3 passer rating.
The New York Jets Like How Unassuming Justin Fields Is Compared to Aaron Rodgers
First-year head coach Aaron Glenn has proclaimed that the new Jets motto is to move in silence. To that end, the team is thrilled with the demeanor of Fields compared to their previous starting quarterback.
In a recent report by Rich Cimini of ESPN, several Jets players and coaches were quoted praising Fields and the way he has carried himself since inking a two-year $40 million deal with the team.
“He’s a super good guy and super quiet,” guard John Simpson said in the article. “He stays to himself, and you could see how determined he is to be great. So it’s going to be fun to watch.”
“Even though he’s not the most vocal person, he’s active with his body language,” Glenn said of his new quarterback. “He’s active with his one-on-one conversations. If he has to stand in front of the guys and say something, he will. He’s not one of those guys that’s going to talk just to talk because sometimes if you do that, you know players around you can get dead head. He says things when it needs to be said.”
Jeremy Ruckert added, “I think a really good trait about him is that he doesn’t listen to anything outside. I think he’s very internally driven and always wants to be the best for all the right reasons.
“I think he’s a perfect fit for New York and the atmosphere that you get put in. He’s going to work every day and showcase that attitude. He’s going to give it everything he’s got and play the position a different way than a lot of people do it.”
As far as personality and leadership style, Justin Fields is the anti-Aaron Rodgers.
Maybe that’s a good thing.
Aaron Glenn and #Jets players take us behind the scenes with their early impressions of the QB1. https://t.co/305ohG7Kkg
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) May 16, 2025
This is certainly a change from Rodgers, who paraded himself around the city and facilities when New York first acquired him from the Green Bay Packers prior to the 2023 NFL Draft. For all of the pomp and circumstance, the Jets were unable to win with Rodgers.
Perhaps the quiet and unassuming Fields is exactly what the team needs to turn the franchise around.
More New York Jets News from Gridiron Heroics
- NFL Analyst Hits Jets with Harsh Reality Following Rodgers Split
- Jets Land All-SEC Special Teamer for 2025 NFL Season
- Aaron Rodgers’ Latest Golf Decision May Reveal 2025 Plans
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