New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields was carted from the practice field on Thursday morning after suffering a toe injury during team drills. The incident occurred on his fifth play when he threw an incomplete pass to Jeremy Ruckert and then went down. Fields sat on the grass briefly before limping to the sideline with assistance from a trainer.
Head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed the injury was to Fields' right foot but could not provide details on its nature or severity. “I know it was a quick throw, so I’m assuming someone stepped on his toe,” Glenn said. “It had to be because of the nature of the call that we had as far as offensive play call. I want to look at the tape and be sure.”
Fields spent several minutes in the injury tent before being transported into the facility via cart. He was able to get up under his own power and walk inside for further evaluation. Glenn stopped the team period after the injury and switched to special teams drills. “When anybody goes down, there’s a lump in my throat,” he added.
Fields signed a two-year, $40m contract with the Jets in March after playing last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is expected to be the team's starter. Veteran Tyrod Taylor, who turns 36 next month, replaced Fields in drills. Glenn expressed confidence in Taylor, saying, “I don’t think there’s any drop-off as far as what we want to do when it comes to play calls.”
The Jets also have Adrian Martinez and rookie Brady Cook on the roster, but neither has NFL game experience. If Fields misses significant time, the team may seek an experienced quarterback. Social media erupted with concern from Jets fans, recalling past quarterback injuries, but Glenn urged calm: “I understand how this league is and I understand how social media starts to take over and everybody starts to panic.”
