Justin Fields’ market moved quickly, as he seemed to be between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets in the days leading up to free agency. Now, he’s made his decision, and Fields will be taking his talents to the Big Apple for the next two seasons after signing a $40 million deal with the Jets.
Now set to take over as the first starting quarterback of the Aaron Glenn era, Fields’ decision drew plenty of reactions from fans and pundits around the NFL, with many pointing out that the quarterback will get to reunite with his favorite college receiver in New York.
NFL World Salivates Over Justin Fields, Garrett Wilson Reunion With New York Jets
Fields hasn’t quite lived up to his billing as a franchise NFL quarterback, but he was one of the best college QBs in recent years. He was especially dominant as a sophomore at Ohio State, leading the Big Ten in passing yards (3,273) and touchdowns (41) while adding 484 yards and 10 scores on the ground in a campaign that earned him third place in Heisman voting that year.
Of course, a big part of Fields’ success in his final two seasons with the Buckeyes was his pairing with Garrett Wilson, who joined Ohio State as a freshman in 2019.
Though Wilson didn’t put up big numbers until C.J. Stroud took over in 2021 after Fields left for the NFL, he and the eventual Chicago Bears quarterback were still a dynamic tandem in the Big Ten, which fans were quick to remember after Fields’ signing was announced.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noticed that Wilson was one of the first people to like the NFL’s post on Instagram about the deal between Fields and the Jets.
DraftKings pulled out a classic highlight showcasing the Fields-Wilson connection from the 2019 College Football Playoff semifinals versus Clemson.
Overtime followed suit with an easy touchdown connection between the two against Nebraska.
Jets fans were also quick to notice that Wilson was promoting the signing on his own pages, which could help quell rumors about the receiver’s unhappiness in New York.
Fields finished the 2024 season with a 78.1 grade according to PFSN’s QB+ metric, finishing ahead of both Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson and former Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. (However, Fields technically didn’t have enough passes to qualify in the rankings.)
Fields also brings something to Gang Green that Rodgers couldn’t — the ability to extend plays with his legs and keep defenses guessing. He led the league with 7.1 yards per carry in 2022, finishing with 1,143 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Even in limited action last year, he still averaged nearly 50 rushing yards per start.
Notably, Fields will also reunite with tight end Jeremy Ruckert, who served as a red-zone threat for the Buckeyes and caught 12 touchdowns between 2019-21. Nine of those scores came from Fields.