FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn, often defiant when questioned about his quarterback situation, took a different approach Friday. In a sober tone, he sounded open to a quarterback change.
“I’m evaluating everything, to be honest with you,” Glenn said.
He has extra time to think about whether he will bench Justin Fields in favor of Tyrod Taylor, as the Jets (2-8) have a mini bye following their 27-14 loss to the New England Patriots on Thursday night.
On the surface, this is no different than recent weeks — the cagey coach refused to name a starter before each of the past three games — but this time Glenn acknowledged that Fields’ performance is lacking.
“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.
Fields passed for 116 yards against the Patriots, including only 23 in the first half. He has just 505 yards in his past five starts, one in which he was pulled at halftime.
“Not good enough,” Fields said of his latest outing.
The Jets are averaging a league-low 139.9 passing yards per game, which would be the lowest in the NFL since the 2022 Chicago Bears (130.5). Fields was the Bears’ quarterback that year.
Glenn noted that Fields “did some good things” against the Patriots — he ran for a team-high 67 yards and a touchdown — but he also pointed out “there were some open guys that we missed.”
Fields also was victimized by three drops, including two by wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who made his Jets debut after being acquired from the Indianapolis Colts in the Sauce Gardner trade at the deadline.
Glenn said he’s looking for more than the proverbial spark, which is described as “really a short-term deal. I don’t know if this is what other coaches’ decisions are, but, man, I want to make the decision to give us a chance to win.
“Whatever that the evaluation process come out to, just know that the reason why I make the decision that I make, it gives us the best chance to win.”
The Jets, who return to action Nov. 23 against the Baltimore Ravens, aren’t going to the playoffs, but they hope to end Glenn’s first season on an upswing. That would create a positive vibe as they head into the first of two critical offseasons. With five first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027, they have the potential for a bright future.
Fields’ future is up in the air. He received a two-year, $40 million contract from the Jets, including a $30 million guarantee, but they could move on after one year. They could draft a quarterback and bring in another veteran.
His receiving corps is patchwork, especially with Garrett Wilson out of the lineup. Their No. 1 receiver has missed three of the past four games. He was placed on injured reserve Thursday with a knee sprain, meaning he will miss at least another three games. Glenn said doesn’t expect it to be a long-term injury.
“I mean, yeah, it’s tough, but at the end of the day you can’t complain about it,” Fields said of the revolving door at receiver. “It’s the circumstances we’re in right now.”
Glenn sounded disappointed by the latest loss. The Jets, trying to win their third straight, trailed by only seven at the start of the fourth quarter, but their offense generated nothing after that.
“I’m frustrated by every loss,” Glenn said, “but this one was really frustrating, the fact that we had an opportunity to show the world exactly how we’ve grown as a team in all three phases.”