The Jets won’t have Justin Fields under center against the Buccaneers.
Fields has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay after suffering a concussion in last weekend’s 30-10 loss against the Bills.
Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor will start in Fields’ place.
“I just know how these things are and just to my knowledge, this week, he will be out,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said.
Fields, 26, suffered the concussion early in the fourth quarter against the Bills when pass rusher Joey Bosa got past tight end Mason Taylor and hit the fifth-year player. The back of Fields’ head bounced off the turf and he exited the game and did not return. Fields finished 3 of 11 for 27 yards against the Bills and registered a career-low 1.1 QBR.
This is Fields’ first documented concussion during his time in the NFL. He suffered one while in college at Ohio State during the 2021 Sugar Bowl against Clemson.
The NFL has a five-step process players must pass to return to the game. Two of the steps require Fields’ practicing and being cleared by an independent neurologist.
Taylor came in for Fields and played two offensive drives, with the final one resulting in a five-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeremy Ruckert. He finished the game 7-for-11 with 56 yards and a touchdown pass.
Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay will be Taylor’s first start since the 2023 season, when he was with the Giants. Taylor, 36, has been the Jets’ backup since 2024, but has only appeared in two games last season in garbage time. The 15-year veteran did not play during the preseason this year after having arthroscopic knee surgery.
But Glenn isn’t concerned about Taylor potentially being rusty after not having any snaps during any of the Jets’ preseason games.
“There’s an element within him that we also have in Justin that I like a lot,” Glenn said about Taylor. “The fact that he has been in this league for a long time, there’s no coverage, there’s no pressure that he hasn’t seen.
“So, that’s why I have confidence in him. He is a very studious person. A good athlete, again, been around this league for a long time. There’s no better player that you would want as your backup quarterback than him at this point in time.”
The Jets will hope to avoid their first 0-3 start since the 2021 season.
