FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn has benched starting quarterback Justin Fields in favor of longtime backup Tyrod Taylor.
Taylor, 36, will start Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, the team that drafted him in 2011.
Glenn informed the team of the quarterback change in their Monday meeting, when they reconvened after their mini bye.
"It stinks to be a part of the [demotion]," said tight end Jeremy Ruckert, who played with Fields at Ohio State. "I take it personal, all the hate, all the talking that goes towards him. I take it personal. I'm one of the guys that takes the field with him, and I wish we could've done a better job to help him out, but he's just a true professional."
The move comes as no surprise, as Glenn indicated last Friday that he was "evaluating everything" -- his first acknowledgement of a possible change.
Fields passed for only 116 yards in the Jets' 27-14 loss to the New England Patriots last Thursday, continuing a season of profound struggles. The Jets' passing attack is ranked 32nd in yards per game (139.9), with Fields having produced only 505 yards in his past five starts.
Fields is under contract through 2026 after signing a two-year, $40 million contract in March, but his future with the Jets is up in the air. They almost certainly will have a new starter in 2026, either a veteran or a rookie.
Fields is due to make $20 million in 2026, including $10 million guaranteed. His cap charge is $23 million.
With a 2-8 record, the Jets currently hold the fifth position in the 2026 draft. They own two first-round picks in 2026, plus another three in 2027, thanks to the recent Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades. In theory, it should be enough draft capital to trade up for a quarterback.
The Jets signed Fields, giving him a $30 million guarantee, because they felt he had untapped potential, and that he could potentially develop into a solid starter despite his spotty track record with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers.
It hasn't happened.
Fields ranks 30th out of 33 qualified passers in Total QBR (37.7), with only seven touchdown passes, 1,259 passing yards and one interception. He's the second-leading rusher on the Jets, with 383 yards and a team-high four rushing touchdowns.
The benching almost happened a few weeks ago.
Fields was replaced at halftime in a Week 7 loss to the Carolina Panthers, and Glenn was leaning toward Taylor as his new starter, sources said. But Taylor was scratched on the eve of the Week 8 game against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a lingering knee injury, leaving Glenn no choice but to stay with Fields.
And Fields played his best game of the season, only a few days after he was publicly criticized by owner Woody Johnson. The team rallied around Fields, and the result was the team's best offensive performance in years -- 502 total yards.
He followed that up with a 51-yard passing performance against the Cleveland Browns, but he got a reprieve because the Jets won. Then came the clunker against the Patriots.
"Obviously, we have to do a better job in the passing game, and that has a lot to do with Justin getting the ball to the right guys," Glenn said Friday.
So once again, the Jets have a muddled quarterback situation. Aside from last season, when Aaron Rodgers started every game, they have been undermined by quarterback instability. From 2021 to 2023, they started three different quarterbacks in each season, including four in 2023 -- the year Rodgers tore an Achilles in Week 1.
Taylor has started one game this season -- a Week 3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Fields was out with a concussion. Taylor threw two touchdowns and an interception in nearly rallying the Jets to a come-from-behind win.
His record as a starter is 28-29-1.