(Video) Justin Fields hits back at journalist when asked about the possibility of Jets drafting a quarterback this year

The New York Jets have seen their fair share of quarterbacks come and go through their doors since the turn of the century. Justin Fields is the latest name on the roster, but that doesn’t guarantee that general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn won’t try to draft a rookie.

The Jets returned to off-season training this week, and fans caught a glimpse of Fields in Jets gear for the first time. Following the practice session on Wednesday, Fields spoke with reporters, where he faced a few tricky questions.

One reporter asked the 26-year-old whether he would mentor a rookie quarterback. Justin Fields calmly replied,

“I don’t really like to answer rhetorical questions… I am willing to teach, but I am not really interested in rhetorical questions.”

Justin Fields is asked about the possibility of the Jets drafting a quarterback this year:

"I don't really like to answer rhetorical questions…I'm willing to teach, but I'm not really interested in rhetorical questions" pic.twitter.com/EjXnksvqzI

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) April 9, 2025

Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the Jets after his unsuccessful spell with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.

Justin Fields wasn’t comfortable with the backup role in Pittsburgh

Fields entered the league with the Chicago Bears, where he was the starting quarterback for three years. Despite the potential, the Bears opted for a different quarterback and traded him to the Steelers for a sixth-round pick.

In Pittsburgh, Fields faced a different challenge. He had to outperform Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson. Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith gave Fields the green light to start ahead of Wilson.

In those games, he showed his potential. Fields recorded 106 pass completions for 1106 yards (65% passes completed), 5 touchdowns, and one interception, along with 62 rushes for 289 yards and 5 rushing touchdowns in six appearances (4-2 win-to-loss ratio).

The numbers didn’t flatter Tomlin, and he switched to Wilson who played the rest of the year, finishing with 10-7 and a wild card appearance. After the season ended, the Steelers approached Fields in hopes for an extension, but he turned them down.

I was put in a place where I was never in my entire life…   It was [a] different [experience] for me in a space where I wasn’t necessarily comfortable [but] at the end of the day, Coach Tomlin made a decision what he thought was best for the team and I’m never going to go against that.

Justin Fields said via The New York Daily News

The situation in New York is very different from Pittsburgh. Even though the Jets have Tyrod Taylor, Jordan Travis, and Adrian Martinez, newly appointed coach Glenn wants to make full use of Fields’ skills in the upcoming campaign.

“I want to utilize his legs, but also, I want to give him a chance to go out there and play quarterback,” Aaron Glenn said.

Will the Jets draft a quarterback in 2025?

There hasn’t been much chatter about the Jets targeting a quarterback in the draft, but anything can happen when Roger Goodell whistles the start of the 2025 draft on April 24 in Green Bay.

The Jets have eight draft picks this year, and as per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, they may target a quarterback in the second (42nd overall pick) or third round (73rd overall pick). Brugler projected Alabama’s Jalen Milroe as the perfect fit for the Jets.

If there’s a QB other than [Cam] Ward [of Miami] or [Shedeur] Sanders [of Colorado] who might surprise people with how high he’s picked, it’s [Jalen] Milroe. Every physical trait he owns is worth betting on, though the gamble here is considerable given how inconsistent he was as a passer during every season at Alabama.

Dane Brugler wrote

Milroe is quite similar to Justin Fields but is taller and more muscular than the Ohio State graduate. He also has a stronger arm but tends to play hero ball too much.

Milroe became the starter for Alabama in his junior year. He played a total of 38 games, won 21, and lost 6, logging 426 completions for 6016 yards (64.3% completion rate), 45 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions, along with 375 rushes for 1577 yards and 33 rushing touchdowns.

If the Jets do want to go for a quarterback, Milroe would be a great complement to Fields. The former first-rounder only has a couple of years to prove himself.