New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields carted off practice field with dislocated toe injury

Panic bells rang across New York on Thursday morning as Justin Fields, the Jets’ newly minted quarterback, was carted off the practice field after suffering a toe injury during team drills.

The incident happened just five plays in, when Fields misfired on a throw intended for Jeremy Ruckert and suddenly went down. He stayed on the turf for a few tense moments before gingerly making his way to the sideline with help from trainers, clearly in discomfort.

The injury occurred at around 9:30 am on just the second day of camp. Fields scrambled right and fired a short incompletion to Jeremy Ruckert, then came up hobbling. He sat down on the turf, visibly uncomfortable, before limping to the sideline with help from a trainer.

After a few tense minutes in the medical tent, a cart was brought over to escort him to the locker room. But the sight of Fields stepping off the cart and walking into the facility under his own power offered hope that the situation might not be as dire as first feared.

There was a sigh of relief around Florham Park by midday Thursday as it emerged that Justin Fields is expected to be good to go for the Jets’ Week 1 showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team also confirmed that the injury isn’t expected to sideline the quarterback for any meaningful stretch.

Head coach Aaron Glenn was understandably tight-lipped after practice, refusing to speculate on the extent of the toe injury until medical evaluations were complete. But the early word from inside the building was far from panic.

Given the Jets' brutal recent history with early-season quarterback injuries, most painfully Aaron Rodgers' Achilles tear just four snaps into the 2023 opener, fans had every reason to fear the worst. But by lunchtime Thursday, those worst-case scenarios were largely put to bed.

That said, Fields' absence from practice won’t come without consequence. With camp reps crucial, especially for a quarterback learning a new playbook and meshing with unfamiliar receivers, every missed snap is a step back. Fields saw limited action in 2023, starting just six games for Pittsburgh before being benched in favor of Russell Wilson, so this training camp was set to be a major tune-up.

In the meantime, the Jets will lean on seasoned vet Tyrod Taylor, a reliable journeyman with 58 NFL starts under his belt, to steer the offense while Fields heals up.

With Fields now a major question mark heading into the heart of camp, the Jets’ quarterback room suddenly looks thin on NFL experience. While Adrian Martinez, the 2024 UFL MVP, and rookie Brady Cook are both on the roster, neither has taken a regular-season NFL snap. Martinez does offer some upside, having previously been in Detroit's camp and getting reps in an offense similar to what Tanner Engstrand, the Jets' new play-caller, is running.

Jets fans, understandably, spiraled on social media, many flashing back to the nightmare of Rodgers’ Achilles tear on his very first drive last season and the early knee troubles that knocked Zach Wilson out in 2022. For a fanbase desperate for stability under center, this was déjà vu they didn’t need.