“Justin Fields Never Had a Chance: The Truth Behind the 2025 Benchings”

By Lonnie Z | Faze Fantasy Sports

Justin Fields Was Failed — Not Finished: Why the Jets Benching Him in 2025 Says More About Coaching Than QB Play

News dropped today in the 2025 NFL season: Justin Fields is being benched in favor of Tyrod Taylor.

And at first glance, most fans respond the same way: “We’ve seen Fields. We’ve seen Tyrod. Neither is the future.”

But that completely misses the point.

Justin Fields has never played in a system built around his strengths — not in Chicago, not in Pittsburgh, and now not in New York. Tyrod Taylor isn’t a better quarterback. He’s simply a safer option for a coaching staff that’s flailing.

This benching says more about the Jets’ coaching failures than it does about Fields’ abilities.

A Career of Mismanagement: How Justin Fields Reached This Point in 2025

Let’s walk through the truth — because the timeline matters.

1. Chicago (2021–2023): A Disaster From Day One

Fields entered the league with elite traits, flashes of dominance, and a skillset that was tailor-made for modern offenses.

But the Bears gave him:

• a defensive head coach (Matt Eberflus),

• an ill-fitting scheme (Luke Getsy's “Rodgers-lite” system),

• poor offensive line play,

• zero consistency in coaching direction.

In 2022–2023, Fields looked dangerous ANY time the Bears leaned into designed runs, read-option, and movement-based passing.

But Chicago wanted him to become a pure pocket passer immediately, ignoring the blueprint that actually worked.

Chicago didn’t fail because Fields couldn’t play. Chicago failed because Fields needed development and design, not wishful thinking.

2. Pittsburgh (2024): No Real Opportunity

When the Steelers traded for Fields in 2024, it was never a true audition.

Mike Tomlin prefers:

• big, sturdy dropback QBs,

• traditional timing-based passing,

• gunslingers with vertical capability.

Although Russell Wilson's stature isn't that, his mindset is — not Justin Fields.

Fields was:

• the backup from Day One,

• never given first-team reps with intent to develop,

• never in the long-term plans.

It was a placeholder stop, not a career reset.

3. New York Jets (2025): A Coaching Staff in Over Its Head

Now, in the 2025 season, Fields landed with a Jets staff that’s proving to be overwhelmed:

• Aaron Glenn is showing he’s not head-coach material.

• The offensive identity is inconsistent week to week.

• The staff has no idea how to build a Fields-centric offense.

• The OL is shaky.

• The system is the opposite of what he needs.

Instead of adapting the offense to Fields, they forced Fields into their offense — which has never worked for him anywhere.

So now, after a shaky start, they switch to Tyrod Taylor.

Not because Tyrod is better. Not because Tyrod is the future. Not because Tyrod raises their ceiling.

No — because Tyrod lowers the coaching stress.

The Real Reason This Happens: Coaches Fear Variance

Justin Fields offers upside. Tyrod Taylor offers stability.

NFL coaches on the hot seat will ALWAYS choose stability — even if it means reducing the offense’s ceiling.

Fields gives you:

• dynamic rushing

• explosive plays

• off-script creativity

• ability to stress defenses

• unpredictable upside

He also forces the OC to adapt, design, and actually coach.

Tyrod gives you:

• predictable reads

• “on-schedule” throws

• lower turnover risk

• the ability to run the playbook as-is

Coaches value comfort more than upside when their jobs feel shaky.

That’s exactly what we’re seeing in 2025.

How You Actually Maximize Justin Fields — In 2025, Not 2021

To unlock Fields, you don’t turn him into Tom Brady.

You do what smart staffs do with Lamar, Hurts, Kyler when healthy, and even Allen early in his career.

You build around what makes him special:

✔ 7–15 designed QB runs

Safe, structured, sideline-accessible and slide runs that avoid big hits.

✔ Moving pockets

Sprint-outs, boots, play-action to shrink the read progression.

✔ RPOs and zone-read looks

Make defenders wrong no matter their choice.

✔ Simplified progression passing

1–2 read concepts, high-lows, drag floods.

✔ Spacing and spread formations

Create lanes, remove clutter.

This isn’t theory — Fields has succeeded every time a coaching staff embraced this approach.

The problem is that no staff since his OSU days has committed to it for more than a few weeks at a time.

Tyrod vs. Fields Isn’t Talent vs. Talent — It’s Comfort vs. Courage

In the 2025 NFL, teams win when they build around the quarterback they have, not the one they wish they had.

The Jets benching Fields isn’t about football. It’s about fear.

Fear of turnovers. Fear of scrutiny. Fear of variance. Fear of committing to a system that requires creativity.

Tyrod Taylor is predictable. Justin Fields is unpredictable.

And the Jets are choosing predictable — even if predictable means mediocre.

Bottom Line: Justin Fields Has Been Failed at Every Stop

Chicago miscast him. Pittsburgh never invested in him. New York doesn’t understand him.

Fields’ story in 2025 isn’t about regression. It’s about a league that still struggles to develop mobile quarterbacks unless:

• the staff is committed,

• the system is custom-built,

• the OC believes in him,

• and the organization is patient.

Fields has never had that combination.

Until he does, we won’t see the version of Justin Fields that he still could be.