New York Jets bench struggling quarterback Justin Fields for Tyrod Taylor, AP source says

Justin Fields is heading to the bench and Tyrod Taylor is replacing him as the New York Jets' starting quarterback.

Coach Aaron Glenn decided to play Taylor over the embattled Fields at Baltimore on Sunday, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Monday.

Glenn said last week he would evaluate all positions over the weekend, leaving the door open for a change at quarterback. And he decided to make the switch to Taylor, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t announce the move, which was first reported by The Athletic.

Glenn told the team of his decision during a meeting Monday morning, when the Jets returned to work after a few days off.

“Yeah, I’m not gonna go into too much detail,” tight end Jeremy Ruckert said. “Coach talked to us as a team today and told us that we’re gonna get ready to go play this weekend. So just leave all questions for that towards him.”

The Jets (2-8) are coming off a 27-14 loss at New England last Thursday night. Fields’ subpar play has been a major reason for the struggles of the passing offense, which ranks last in the NFL with 139.9 yards per game — 20 fewer than 31st-ranked Cleveland.

Fields was 15 of 26 for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots, but he had only 23 yards passing at halftime. Dropped passes, including two by Adonai Mitchell in his Jets debut, contributed to the lack of production. That performance came after Fields was 6 of 11 for just 54 yards with a TD and an interception in New York’s 27-20 win over Cleveland.

“That's my guy,” said Ruckert, who also was a teammate of Fields at Ohio State. "It stinks to be a part of the (demotion). I take it personal, all the hate, all the talking that goes toward him. I take it personal because I’m one of the guys that takes the field with him. And I wish we could do a better job to help him out, but he’s just a true professional, like I say every day. Not going to change how I feel about him.

“I'm sure he'll be ready to go when his time's come.”

Glenn, who was not scheduled to speak to reporters again until Wednesday, has been tight-lipped on his quarterback situation and refused the last few weeks to announce who his starter would be.

It appeared likely the 36-year-old Taylor would take over under center against Cincinnati on Oct. 26, but the veteran backup was ruled out with a knee injury and didn't travel with the team. Instead, Fields thrived after what he said was an “emotional” week that included owner Woody Johnson publicly criticizing him, leading the Jets to their first win of the season, 39-38 against the Bengals.

He was 21 of 32 for 244 yards and a touchdown in that victory, along with 31 yards on 11 rushes. He also threw a pass and had a run for 2-point conversions. The Jets hoped that was a turning point-type game for Fields.

But the struggles reappeared in the next two games — and the calls from frustrated fans to bench Fields grew louder. Glenn said last Friday that Fields did some good things at New England but also acknowledged he missed a few opportunities to make plays.

“I think you hear that quite a bit when you get these quarterback changes is, ‘Man, I’m trying to get a spark for the team,’” Glenn said. “But to me, it’s more or less, man, I’m trying to make the best decision to give our guys a chance to win because to me, a spark is really a short-term deal. And I don’t know if this is what other coaches’ decisions are, but, man, I want to make a decision to give us a chance to win.”

The 26-year-old Fields started nine of the first 10 games this season, missing one because of a concussion, after signing a two-year, $40 million contract in the offseason. The deal included $30 million in guaranteed money, a sign the Jets were optimistic Fields could thrive in new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand's system after failed stints in Chicago — where he was a first-round pick in 2021 — and last year in Pittsburgh.

Fields was mostly underwhelming during training camp, but he was solid in the season-opening loss against Pittsburgh when he threw for 218 yards and a touchdown and ran for two scores. But he was inconsistent over the next several games and threw for less than 55 yards in four starts.

For the season, Fields has passed for 1,259 yards — an average of just 140 yards per game — with seven touchdowns and one interception. He is the team's second-leading rusher behind Breece Hall with 383 yards and his four rushing TDs lead the Jets.

The game at Baltimore will mark the 60th NFL start of Taylor's 15-year career. He was 26 of 36 for 197 yards and two TDs with one interception in his lone start this season, a 29-27 loss at Tampa Bay. Taylor most recently played on Oct. 19 against Carolina, when Fields was benched at halftime. Taylor finished 10 of 22 for 126 yards with two INTs in the 13-6 loss.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields fumbles the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

New York Jets' Tyrod Taylor warms up ahead of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The massive sewage pipe that ruptured and leaked millions of gallons of raw waste into the Potomac River returned to operation Saturday after the completion of emergency repairs.

DC Water, the utility that runs Washington’s water and sewage systems, reported that it had completed testing to determine whether the 72-inch diameter pipe could handle the flow.

The Potomac Interceptor ruptured on Jan. 19, sending 250 million gallons of untreated sewage into the river just north of the nation's capital over the first five days.

The utility worked with the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies to repair the leak and monitor the ecological impact on the river. Other work on the pipe and system could take months.

Drinking water was never in jeopardy, but recreational use by anglers, boaters and others on the Potomac has been closely monitored because of concerns over the presence of deadly bacteria that can be passed along through direct contact with the water.

A class action lawsuit was filed March 6 in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, accusing DC Water with negligence.

Plaintiff Nicholas Lailas, a Virginia resident and recreational boat user on the Potomac, is seeking compensation for people “whose property interests in and use and enjoyment of the Potomac River ... have been impaired by Defendant’s conduct,” the lawsuit said. It did not specify a damage amount.

The spill occurred in Montgomery County, Maryland, along Clara Barton Parkway, which hugs the northern edge of the Potomac River near the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park. It became a serious environmental issue and the focus of political bickering between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic-led Maryland.

“Full flow has been restored and the C&O Canal has been fully drained as part of site restoration,” DC Water said in a post on X. "Since Jan 19, crews worked around the clock to stabilize the site and protect the Potomac River.

The District of Columbia's mayor, Muriel Bowser, declared an emergency Feb. 18 and requested that Trump provide federal resources, days after he chided Democratic leaders in Maryland, Washington and Virginia for not requesting help. He approved the emergency assistance quickly to help the city address the emergency.

Betsy Nicholas, president of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, said the situation “could have been so much worse given the vulnerability of our drinking water system” in the district, Montgomery County and Virginia's Arlington County.

Nicholas said the incident highlights the need for ecological assessments and remediation efforts, including natural solutions such as freshwater mussels and native aquatic plants.

“We need assurances that this isn’t going to happen again, that there’s going to be full inspection of the entire remaining system,” Nicholas said.

DC Water is holding a series of meetings with the public to discuss updates on the repair and environmental rehabilitation, including ones next week in Bethesda, Maryland, and Alexandria, Virginia.

Workers build a cofferdam to stop the flow of raw sewage into the Potomac River after a massive sewage pipe rupture in Glen Echo, Md., Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)