“I’ve been in the spotlight since high school. I’m made for this.” Justin Fields smirked last season, channeling the swagger of a QB who once rushed for 178 yards in a single game—an NFL record. But in New York last year, where the Jets offense sputtered like a MetroCard reader in a rainstorm, Fields isn’t just here to flex his legs. He’s here to clean up Aaron Rodgers’s $40 million confetti cannon of chaos.

As NFL insider Ian Rapoport put it, “Let’s talk about the New York Jets instead. We showed a still of Justin Fields walking into the building… There’s a new general manager in Darren Mucci. There’s a new head coach in Aaron Glenn.” It’s a new start altogether.

Let’s rewind: The Jets’ 2024 season was a Succession-level dumpster fire. Five wins. A 14-year playoff drought. Rodgers tossed 11 picks before they benched him harder than a Sopranos extra. Fields, the 26-year-old reclamation project who went 4-2 as Pittsburgh’s starter before getting yanked for Russ Wilson, is now in Gotham on a two-year, $30M guaranteed deal. Armed with a 65.8% completion rate and 289 rushing yards in ’24, he’s got more jets than a LaGuardia runway.

And according to Rapoport, “So much of this is about Justin Fields. Because if you look at this Jets roster, yes, there were some signings. For instance, Damon Sherwood, really nice signing, really good player, got a nice contract. He was there. You know, there were a lot of players that are already there.” Let’s be real: fixing the Jets is like teaching a goldfish to play chess.

Their O-line last year ranked 23rd in the pass block win rate. Breece Hall’s YPC dipped to 4.2. And Garrett Wilson? The man’s caught passes from eight QBs since 2022. But Fields, who once told Chicago media he’d “say ‘F it’ and just play football,” isn’t here for vibes. He’s here to run. Remember that 67-yard TD sprint against Detroit? Picture that through the Lincoln Tunnel, dodging potholes and paparazzi.

Still, there’s more promise than panic in the air. “This is a talented team,” Rapoport emphasized. “I know the record last year was bad quarterback play. Aaron Rodgers wasn’t good. The head coach gets fired early in the season. The whole thing is a mess.” But unlike your usual Jets do-over, this one isn’t about a teardown. “There is, though, a foundation. If you look at what the Jets did in free agency, it wasn’t an overhaul. It was more tweaking. It was more sort of middle-class free agent signings to kinda bolster the foundation. The biggest one was Justin Fields.” That definitely was a bold move.

But wait—Mike Tomlin’s lurking.

Amid Tomlin’s aspirations, Fields’ Garden State redemption

The Steelers’ head coach, who’s avoided losing seasons like the NFC avoids decent QBs, just cozied up to Rodgers at a private workout with DK Metcalf. “There’s only one Mike Tomlin,” Rodgers gushed last December. “He’s got the special sauce.” Sauce? More like whole pantry. Tomlin’s Steelers, fresh off a Mason Rudolph redemption arc, want Rodgers to replace… checks notes… Mason Rudolph. Meanwhile, Fields’ old Steelers locker collects dust. The plot thickens faster than a Primanti Bros. sandwich.

Tomlin, though, is playing 4D chess. While Rodgers mulls retirement like it’s a Jeopardy! final clue, Pittsburgh’s eyeing Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart in the draft. But Jets fans? They’re too busy reviving the “J-E-T-S!” chant led by Fireman Ed, a guy who’s been hyping crowds since Seinfeld was in primetime. There’s poetry here: Fields, the human highlight reel, vs. Rodgers, the four-time MVP who’s 503 TDs deep into a Hall of Fame résumé. It’s Rocky IV meets Moneyball—underdogs and algorithms colliding in HD.

And as Rapoport reminded viewers, Fields wasn’t just some background character in Pittsburgh. “When he played last year for the Pittsburgh Steelers, [he] was a good enough starter to lead them out to a winning record before he eventually got benched [for] Russell Wilson.” A 4-2 record wasn’t that bad.

The chip on his shoulder? NFL-sized. “It all went the wrong direction,” Rapoport added. “Justin Fields is out to show that he is a bona fide starter in the NFL. If he is, if he is better than average, if he comes in and is a secure quarterback, this could be a really, really fast turnaround for new head coach Aaron Glenn and the Jets.” So, what’s next?

If Fields thrives, he’s the hero Gotham deserves. If he flops? Well, at least the Jets’ next draft picks will be lit. And Rodgers? Whether he’s tossing spirals in Pittsburgh or sipping ayahuasca in Patagonia, one thing’s certain: the NFL’s never boring. As The West Wing’s Jed Bartlet once barked, “Decisions are made by those who show up.” Fields showed up. Now, let’s see if the Jets’ playbook does, too. Mic drop.