Jets' Justin Fields speaks for first time since benching: 'I did not anticipate it whatsoever'

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Justin Fields didn’t anticipate that he would be benched and it took a couple of days before it hit him. He remains confident that he’s a starter in the NFL and positive that he’s going to get another shot, whether it’s with the Jets or another team.

“The first day it happens, it's tough,” Fields said Wednesday afternoon during his first extended interview since losing his starting job. “It probably took me a day and a half to fully accept my role, and then last Friday, I felt myself in, like, kind of a ‘Damn’ moment to where it was like, yeah, it's actually real. You kind of just have to look at life from a positive perspective.

“I'm blessed to be in this position, and I know I'm going to get another shot. That's all that matters at the end of the day. So when I do, I just have to be prepared for that moment and be the best player I’ve ever been on the field.”

Fields signed a two-year contract with $30 million guaranteed last offseason. Aaron Glenn believed he and his coaching staff could bring the best out of Fields. He struggled running the offense. Glenn benched Fields last week and replaced him with veteran Tyrod Taylor.

“I did not anticipate it whatsoever,” Fields said.

It’s somewhat surprising Fields didn’t see it coming. He was removed at halftime of the the Week 7 loss to Carolina due to ineffectiveness. Glenn was expected to name Taylor the starter for the following game. A knee injury limited Taylor in practice that week, giving Fields a little more time to prove himself.

Fields led the Jets to a win over the Bengals, but then totaled 170 passing yards in the next two games. Glenn told Fields last Monday he was making a change. Fields wouldn’t say if he thought it was warranted.

“You can call it what you want, but AG thought it was justified, and he makes the decisions around here,” he said. “All I can do is focus on myself, focus on my team, and get better each and every day.

“My job is to continue to get better and continue to keep working for my next opportunity, because there's always going to be a next opportunity.”

Although Glenn has been relatively tight-lipped about his quarterback situation, he did say last week that the move to Taylor was "what's best for team."

“You want your passing game to be better,” Glenn said after announcing the move. “That's not totally on him. There's a number of things that go into that."   

Fields will continue to backup Taylor, who has been impressed with how Fields has carried himself following the demotion. Fields has no doubt he can be a starter again.

“I just know who I am as a person, as a football player, as a hard worker,” Fields said. “I know I have the mindset and the skill to attain that. I just feel like I need to do it on a more consistent basis

“I'm in this position now, and all I can do is just keep on working, keep on getting better, and focus on it. It’s just life. It's ups and downs of life, and I'm in a 'valley' right now, but it's not going do anything but make me stronger on the back end of it.”

His future as a Jet is up in the air at best. Fields is signed through next season for $10 million guaranteed. If the Jets release Fields, they’ll get a $22 million dead money cap charge.

Fields is only focused on now, but he wouldn’t mind starting for the Jets again.

“Of course,” he said. “I'm trying to play this game. I’m trying to play every time we have a game. … I'm not going to have that mindset to be like, ‘Nah, I don't want to play here’ I think that's the wrong mindset. I think the mindset is, every time you step on the field is an opportunity, and it's an opportunity that not many people get.

“Anytime I can step on the field and play for my teammates and try to help them win is an opportunity. So I'm not going to have that mindset of ‘Oh they benched me, I'm not trying to play here.’ I think that's a bad mindset to have.”

Notes & quotes: Harrison Phillips (foot) didn’t practice. Glenn expects Phillips to practice later in the week and play Sunday… Phillips is the Jets’ nominee for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.