Justin Fields ruled out for Jets vs. Buccaneers after concussion; Tyrod Taylor to start
Jets coach Aaron Glenn confirms Fields is in NFL concussion protocol and will miss Week 3 as New York seeks first win
The New York Jets will be without starting quarterback Justin Fields for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Fields was placed in the NFL concussion protocol following his injury in Week 2, coach Aaron Glenn said Wednesday. Tyrod Taylor will make the start as the Jets attempt to avoid a 0-3 start.
Fields left Sunday’s 30-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills after completing three of 11 passes for 27 yards. Glenn said the team is following the league’s concussion process and stressed the importance of practice reps in evaluating a player’s readiness to return. “When it comes to injuries, one person that I can just say ‘out’ right now will be Justin,” Glenn said, adding that concussions are “always a hard one to really evaluate.”
Taylor, a 15-year veteran, has started 58 regular-season games and will be making his first start since 2023, when he started five games for the New York Giants. The Jets signed Taylor to provide experienced depth behind Fields, and he now faces the task of running New York’s offense on short notice against a Buccaneers defense that pressured opposing quarterbacks effectively in recent weeks.
The decision to sideline Fields deepens an early-season trend of starting quarterbacks missing time across the league. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is expected to be sidelined until December with turf toe, and Minnesota’s starter J.J. McCarthy is out with an ankle sprain. The San Francisco 49ers have been managing without Brock Purdy because of a shoulder issue, and several other teams have been forced to rely on backup quarterbacks because of recent injuries.
Baker Mayfield, the Buccaneers’ starter, took significant punishment in Monday night’s 20-19 win over the Houston Texans, but reports indicate he is expected to be available for Sunday’s game. The matchup will therefore pit New York’s veteran backup under center against Tampa Bay’s first-choice quarterback.
The Jets opened the season with a narrow loss in Week 1 and were beaten handily by Buffalo in Week 2, leaving the team still searching for its first victory. Glenn said the club will continue to follow medical guidance and the league’s protocols in determining Field’s timetable for return and reiterated that player safety is the priority.
Tyrod Taylor’s immediate responsibilities will include stabilizing the offense, protecting the ball and working with a receiving group that showed flashes but struggled to generate consistent production in New York’s loss to the Bills. How the Jets adjust their game plan with Taylor at quarterback could be a decisive factor in whether the team can secure its first win, or fall to 0-3 heading into the next stretch of the season.
The Jets will provide further injury updates as the week progresses and after practice sessions that factor into the NFL’s concussion-evaluation process. More information is expected from the team ahead of the game on Sunday.
