Jets' Justin Fields suffers dislocated toe on Day 2 of training camp
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Jets received good news on Justin Fields after their new starting quarterback had to be carted off the field during Thursday’s training camp practice.
A medical evaluation revealed that Fields suffered a dislocated toe on his right foot when he got stepped on during team competition and is considered day-to-day, the Jets announced.
This was the best-case scenario and a huge sigh of relief for Fields and the Jets that it wasn’t more serious than it initially appeared.
“When anybody goes down, there’s a lump in my throat,” said coach Aaron Glenn, who didn’t know the extent of the injury at that point. “I hate injuries for any player.”
The Jets will open the season in just over six weeks, giving Fields plenty of time to get healthy and ready for the Week 1 game against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers on Sept. 7.
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor, another mobile quarterback, stepped in and worked with the first team after Fields left. Taylor will be the Jets’ QB1 until Fields is ready to play again.
“We have an outstanding backup in Tyrod, who’s been in this league for around 14 years,” Glenn said. “So the leadership that he brings, listen, we’re all good. We’re all good.”
A major injury to Fields would have put a damper on this new coaching staff’s plans. The Jets made Fields their major offseason pickup, believing he could lead this offense and have a breakout season.
A first-round pick of the Bears in 2021, Fields has been more effective as a runner than passer, but the Jets have been working on making him a more complete quarterback. The system was tailored to fit Fields’ strengths and give him the ability to show he can beat teams with his arm and legs.
“We’re going to keep moving, no matter what the situation is, no matter what happens with any player that gets hurt,” Glenn said. “We’ve got to keep moving. This league is not going to stop just because of injuries.”
The Jets have been a snakebitten franchise, and Fields getting hurt on the fifth play of 11-on-11 competition on Day 2 of camp looked like another example of that. It also brought back memories of Rodgers tearing his Achilles tendon four snaps into his Jets debut two years ago.
After Fields rolled right and threw a quick pass to Jeremy Ruckert, he started hobbling and sat down on the grass. It was eerily similar to what happened to Rodgers on the MetLife Stadium turf in 2023.
Fields got up and limped off the field with a trainer to a nearby canopy, where he was examined by medical personnel before being carted off to the locker room.
He sat in the front seat of the cart and walked into the facility under his own strength, although he was walking gingerly.
As soon as Fields began limping, Glenn ended that portion of team competition and brought the special teams units onto the field. Glenn was happy with how the players responded and kept their focus for the remainder of practice.
“We have a number of men in that locker room that want to win and we have a number of men in that locker room that’s learning how to win,” Glenn said. “It is my job to make sure I push that over the edge, and that’s my plan. That’s the plan.”
The other quarterbacks in camp are Adrian Martinez, who is familiar with this system from being in Lions training camp in 2023, and rookie Brady Cook.
Taylor, 35, is in his second season with the Jets and playing for his seventh team overall. He has appeared in 94 games and is 28-28-1 as a starter. He’s thrown 68 touchdown passes and 29 interceptions in his career.
“Having Tyrod come in and be the vet he is, there’s no fall-off,” receiver Josh Reynolds said.
Glenn said the players “really gravitate” to Taylor and that everyone has faith in him. He also tried to alleviate the fans’ concerns and “panic” on social media that it already is another lost season.
“It’s really early,” he said. “It’s really early, and we have a lot of time. So we’re going to focus on that. We’re going to focus on every day, and we’re going to focus on what we do on the grass, and that’s going to take care of everything we need.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
More Jets
