Sunday’s sport between the Jets and the Steelers is a singular quarterback matchup.
Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers swapped groups in the course of the offseason, with Rodgers becoming a member of the Steelers after the Jets launched him.
Shortly after the Jets formally launched Rodgers, Fields signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the Jets.
“The storyline is crazy,” Fields mentioned on Tuesday. “I imply, that’s why the NFL set us up for Week 1, only for that.
Fields spent final season with the Steelers, the place he was their backup quarterback. He began six video games in Pittsburgh in aid of Russell Wilson after he suffered a preseason harm.
Fields was 4-2 in these begins, however the Steelers determined to show again to Wilson as soon as he was 100% wholesome. Pittsburgh made the playoffs with Wilson below middle, however misplaced their remaining 5 video games, together with a playoff loss to the Ravens within the AFC Wild Card spherical.
Regardless of being benched, Fields mentioned he thought-about returning to the Steelers, however determined to affix Jets head coach Aaron Glenn after he was employed in January in hopes of ending the crew’s 14-year postseason drought.
“Like I said, AG,” Fields mentioned. “You realize, taking part in towards him for the primary few years of my profession within the league, and excited to alter the tradition right here and get issues going.
“So, I think that was kind of the most appealing thing to me.”
Nevertheless, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin mentioned it wasn’t a one-way avenue when it got here to Fields presumably returning to the Steelers.
“It’s free agency. It was not only our decision, it was his decision,” Tomlin mentioned at his weekly press convention on Tuesday. “It was mutual. There are a lot of moving parts in free agency.”
A change of surroundings was in all probability greatest for each Fields and Rodgers. Now Fields will get an opportunity to show he generally is a full-time beginning quarterback with the Jets with out trying over his shoulder the whole season. Rodgers and the Jets’ divorce is well-documented after he went on The Pat McAfee Present in April and mentioned Glenn was involved the four-time MVP would “undermine” him as a coach.
The Jets have been craving for a franchise quarterback for many years. However they are going to give Fields the keys to the offense, not less than for one season. The Jets might probably launch Fields subsequent offseason and save $10 million if it’s a post-June 1 minimize.
Fields had some brilliant spots in the course of the preseason after finishing 3-for-4 for 42 yards towards the Packers. However he struggled throughout his remaining preseason begin towards the Giants after finishing solely one in all 5 makes an attempt for 4 yards in two collection.
Regardless of his struggles towards the Giants and his uneven coaching camp, Glenn continues to insist he’s assured in Fields and the Jets’ passing sport.
“Yeah, all through training camp, just understanding exactly who he is and what he likes, when it comes to the passing game, when he comes to the running game,” Glenn mentioned. “Like, the place does he need receivers to be at sure spots on the sector to make it possible for connection is on level?
“And right here’s the factor. We’re additionally going to proceed to be taught because the season progresses. I imply, these guys have had numerous practices on the market in coaching camp, however when you get in video games, issues begin to change a little bit bit. And to me, it’s at all times been, and I’ve realized this from [former Steelers coach] Invoice Cowher years in the past, that generally you actually don’t know what your crew is simply till you get 4 or 5 video games down the street.
“So listen, we’re all mature in that aspect of really understanding, like really true game action man, who are we going to be as a football team? And I’m paying close attention to that.”
Fields will face a Steelers crew with a couple of new faces. Together with their established stars like T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward, Pittsburgh additionally added cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay.
Fields says Sunday can be one other sport for him, however his familiarity with the Steelers’ scheme could possibly be a bonus.
“I was there last year going against their scout team, but you know, it’s Week 1,” he mentioned. “They received a whole lot of new gamers on the defensive aspect of the ball, so they might do a whole lot of various things, and that’s how it’s for everybody across the league in Week 1, to the place you’ll be able to sport plan as a lot as you assume you’ll be able to, however they’ll come out in no matter.
“So, the biggest thing is just adjusting on the fly on Sunday when we do see stuff that we necessarily didn’t see coming.”
