Mike Tomlin is keeping a close eye on the adjustments happening within the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the 2025 NFL season. One of the most notable changes is the unexpected move involving Justin Fields, officially closing his chapter with the team.
According to Adam Schefter, Fields will be joining the New York Jets next season after signing a two-year, $40 million deal. The move positions him as a potential starting quarterback for a team in need of help at the position.
Fields’ contract with the Jets offers him $30 million guaranteed, which translates to about $15 million per year—a pretty decent salary compared to the $3.2 million he earned in 2024 with the Steelers, where he was limited because Mike Tomlin preferred Russell Wilson for that position.
This will be Fields’ third team in his career, which began with the Bears in 2021, where he played until 2023. In Pittsburgh, he spent just one season, throwing only 5 touchdowns in 10 games—marking the second time in his career that he has thrown fewer than ten touchdowns in a season; the first was during his rookie year in Chicago.
Fields Reunites with a Familiar Face in New York
Even though he will be joining a new team in a completely different city, Fields will get to reunite with someone he has known since their days playing together for the Buckeyes: Garrett Wilson, who has been with the Jets since 2022. As a wide receiver, Wilson has posted impressive numbers over the past three years.
Wilson could greatly assist Fields in quickly adapting to the franchise. Since 2022, he has consistently recorded over a thousand receiving yards, which is quite impressive for such a young WR entering the 2025 season at nearly 25 years old. In 2024, he posted 1,104 yards and 7 touchdowns, marking his most productive year to date.
Can Justin Fields Lead the Jets to the Playoffs?
It’s worth noting that the Jets haven’t made the NFL playoffs since the 2010 season, meaning they have been absent from the postseason for nearly 15 years. This is a significant drought that Justin Fields must face, especially considering he has only one playoff experience, which was in 2024 with the Steelers, where he barely completed a pass.