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The New York Jets’ training camp got off to a disastrous start with an injury to their starting quarterback, but narrowly avoided a catastrophic outcome. After Justin Fields’ foot injury gave the team a scare, test results confirmed the 26-year-old will not miss too much time.
Fields was carted off the field but was fortunately diagnosed with just a dislocated toe, which leaves him day-to-day, the team announced Thursday afternoon. The optics of the injury had many fearing that he would miss significant time, but his test results suggest only a few days on the shelf.
Fields suffered the injury on one of the Jets’ final plays of first-team reps. He attempted to hit tight end Mason Taylor over the middle of the field, but had his toe stepped on by a teammate. Head coach Aaron Glenn raised more red flags by praising backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor in his post-practice injury update, but Fields figures to be back much quicker than many initially anticipated.
With the Jets’ first preseason game scheduled for Aug. 9, Fields will likely watch that game from the sidelines. As minor as it might be, lower-body injuries can linger longer than expected, particularly for mobile quarterbacks. Fields racked up 231 rushing yards in the six games he started in 2024.
While Fields should be ready by Week 1, the Jets are already preparing to be without him in the interim. In his initial reaction, Glenn heaped praise on Taylor, a veteran journeyman entering year 15. Taylor enters the final year of a two-year deal he inked in 2024 and returns after backing up Aaron Rodgers the previous season.
Despite entering his age-36 season, Taylor is still widely viewed as one of the premier backup quarterbacks in the league. Although he has spent the majority of his career as a backup, he made the Pro Bowl with the Buffalo Bills in 2015. Taylor did not see much time in 2024, but started five games for the New York Giants in 2023 and led them to a 2-3 record.
Behind Taylor, the Jets also have a pair of undrafted quarterbacks in Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook. Both could see the field in the team’s opening preseason game as they fight over the emergency third-string role.
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