Jets HC Aaron Glenn Accused of Making ‘Mistake’ After Justin Fields’ Injury
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn might have made a mistake with his handling of starting quarterback Justin Fields’ injury following Week 2.
On Wednesday, September 17, Coach Glenn ruled out Fields, who is going through the NFL’s concussion protocol. Longtime NFL analyst Andrew Siciliano said that decision was “somewhat surprising” and an NFL team “rarely” rules out their starting quarterback that far in advance of the game.
“I wonder if this is a rookie head coaching mistake by Aaron Glenn,” Yahoo Sports NFL analyst Frank Schwab openly speculated on “Inside Coverage.” “Him ruling out Justin Fields on Wednesday, I would think that their opponent this week, the Buccaneers, is like, ‘Oh, good, we don’t even have to worry about Justin Fields in film review, we can just spend all of our time on Tyrod Taylor.’ Whereas they would have had to split that [preparation] time [if they didn’t know who was starting].”
Yahoo Sports senior NFL reporter Jori Epstein said she thinks this situation is an “even bigger deal for the Jets than with many quarterbacks because a lot of times teams try to have a backup quarterback whose style of play resembles that of their starter. Well, Tyrod Taylor does not have the same mobility and skillset as Justin Fields. While I’m not saying they are going to run a different offense, I would say that they would accentuate completely different parts of the playbook … Now the Buccaneers don’t have to prepare for what we saw in Week 1 when we saw Justin Fields running that very successful run offense.”
The Jets are being very transparent about Justin Fields’ status for Week 3 ✍️@AndrewSiciliano, @YahooSchwab and @JoriEpstein on why that matters.
(via Inside Coverage) pic.twitter.com/J9wFn9ZuMd
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports)
September 18, 2025
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Insiders Explain How the Jets Offense Will Be Different With Taylor at the Helm
“I think the Jets might be a more challenging team against the run when you have Justin Fields out there, but Tyrod Taylor is a better passer; he is a better thrower of the football than Justin Fields. He is limited in other ways: not as good [running] the ball, certainly not as durable, although that is kind of ironic to say because he is filling in because Fields is hurt,” NFL Insider Connor Hughes explained on “Jets Final Drive.”
“Jets fans get ready for the deep shots, like that is coming, that is how this offense is going to change with Tyrod Taylor out there,” Hughes said. “He is going to give his guys an opportunity to stretch the ball down the field. He is going to give Garrett Wilson a chance out there. Arian Smith, you haven’t really seen too many go balls to him; those are coming.”
“It’s going to be a more aggressive approach with Tyrod, they still want to run the ball, but it’s going to be more aggressive with Tyrod Taylor, more stretching the field, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if you see some more expolsive plays and the passing attack look better with Taylor out there as opposed to Fields,” Hughes added.
How beloved is Tyrod Taylor in the #Jets locker room? @Connor_J_Hughes told @ZackBlatt that Taylor received ‘captaincy votes a year ago as the Jets backup quarterback.’
Hughes said Tyrod is a ‘better passer, a better thrower of the football’ compared to Justin Fields … ‘Get…
pic.twitter.com/EA6yK8Tjei— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) September 19, 2025
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Jets Coaching Staff Doesn’t Seem to Agree With Insider’s Assessments
The Yahoo Sports panel’s argument is centered around the Jets potentially holding an advantage with their opponent not knowing which QB would be playing. Coach Glenn, revealing that info, in theory, forgoes said advantage and actually provides the Buccaneers with extra prep time on the actual passer who will be under center.
SNY argued that the offense will look different for several reasons due to the QB change.
The Jets coaching staff sang a different tune this week at the podium.
“I don’t think it changes that much,” Glenn said on the difference between Fields and Taylor being at the controls of the offense.
Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand shared the same message via ESPN’s Rich Cimini, “We really don’t have to change much at all.”
Jets OC Tanner Engstrand says it’s “very comforting as a coach” to have a backup of Tyrod Taylor’s caliber. Says “we really don’t have to change much at all,” adding “certain things we may highlight more or less.”
#Jets pic.twitter.com/C6ude3hIy6— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) September 18, 2025
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Taylor Is Beloved by His Jets Teammates
Zack Rosenblatt revealed in a long column for The Athletic that no matter what team Taylor has suited up for, he has garnered the adoration of his teammates.
On “Jets Final Drive,” NFL Insider Connor Hughes revealed that Taylor received “captaincy votes” last year as the Jets’ backup quarterback. This demonstrates the extent to which his teammates love and respect him.
Taylor, 36, will get his first start with the Jets since joining the team in 2024. Before this point, Taylor had only played during relief appearances for the green and white.
He owns a 28-28-1 record as a starting quarterback at the NFL level.
Payton Equates Bo Nix 'Sophomore Slump' Anxieties with Bigfoot Myth
Entering training camp, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton
The three rather average possessions Nix displayed in preseason Game 1 vs. the San Francisco 49ers inevitably led to a negative backlash in the press and with some fans. A couple of shaky subsequent practice sessions only further fueled the sky-is-falling tropes.
On Thursday, Payton was compelled to once again dismiss these anxieties centered around the Broncos' young quarterback.
"So last week was the sophomore jinx. And I challenged and I meant that respectively, I haven't been able to find that first-round real good season, maybe the team. I think that's a little bit cliche," Payton said on Thursday after the Broncos' joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals. "I would say the second-year climb probably realistically happens more. The other is like Bigfoot; it makes for a good question."
The Experience Antidote
The truth is, everything Nix achieved in his tremendous rookie year can be used as building blocks moving forward. His 61 college starts with two different schools, combined with the 18 games he played as a rookie, have allowed Nix to hit the ground running as a pro and forge chemistry with his supporting cast in Denver.
"I do believe in experience , and I believe when you have a good football player who's had a year of experience, especially at that position, you build confidence through demonstrated ability. You can wish for it, but I actually have to do it, then I think there can be a lot goes on around them," Payton explained. "So that's important. We talk all the time about painting the perfect picture for the 'Q' [quarterback] in order to get the best out of that position. Are the splits correct? The depth of the routes correct, the run? When all the stuff around them is on point, you're going to get the best, cleanest evaluation of that player."
Coach On the Field
Front-and-center in the Broncos' quarterback and pass catcher chemistry is veteran wide receiver Courtland Sutton. Payton has even started to suggest that Nix has a supplemental coach on the field in his No. 1 passing target.
"There are two ways vocally I can turn to Courtland," Payton said. "Last week, we had a few plays where if you're the inside receiver in the slot, we say you control the flight deck on or off. We had some penalties, two guys on or we weren't... And I just turned and yelled at Sutton. I said, 'You get that fixed.' Now [Wide Receivers Coach] Keary Colbert knows if I'm yelling at Sutton, I'm yelling at him as well. Courtland, it got handled this week."
That's not the only way that Payton relies on Sutton, who just signed a four-year, $92 million contract extension early in training camp's proceedings.
Super Bowl Expectations
"Then on top of that, he's out here. There are all the elements, the work ethic, the production, and how he lives his life and then how he handles this game," Payton said. "One of the challenges always in free agency is you can't pay everyone, but you want to make sure you're paying make up in character because the contract, none of that will impact just how he practices and how he approaches the game. It's really beneficial for us as an offense."
Honestly, the manic sophomore slump talk that has focused on Nix only came about because overall expectations for the Broncos' 2025 season have blasted through the roof. The idea being that a Year-2 regression at quarterback is the only thing that could derail the deep and talented Broncos.
Payton's rock-solid belief that Nix can manage the pressure of his head coach openly talking about this team's championship ambitions has been unflinching throughout the summer. It owes a great deal to Payton knowing that sometimes quarterbacks simply fit with certain coaches, systems, and players. When that chemistry is there, it's the ultimate prophylactic for the sophomore slump virus infecting a young signal-caller.
"So the cast around the player has a lot to do with maximizing what the player can be," Payton said. "And we've all seen it in the draft. There's probably a number of quarterbacks if taken somewhere else, what would their career look like?"
