Everyone knows the New York Jets dismissed Aaron Rodgers this offseason in favor of Justin Fields.
But the exact reason why turns out to be particularly fascinating.
The Jets wanted, in the words of ESPN beat writer Rich Cimini, the “anti Aaron Rodgers.”
“The stated goal of the organization, articulated recently by first-year coach Aaron Glenn, is to ‘move in silence,'” Cimini wrote. “In that case, the New York Jets may have found their ideal quarterback in Justin Fields, who, unlike his predecessor Aaron Rodgers, doesn’t have a weekly national TV platform to spew his thoughts on all things football (and whatever else strikes his fancy). He also doesn’t have a Netflix docuseries that explores the inner workings of his own being.
“Personality-wise, Fields is about as far away from Rodgers as two starting quarterbacks could be. And that’s fine by the Jets. ‘There’s a quiet confidence about that man that’s unshakable,’ Glenn said of Fields, who, fittingly, showed up wearing a ‘Humble over Hype’ T-shirt on the day he signed his contract in March.”
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There are clear on-field differences, too.
Rodgers, coming off his torn Achilles, was a rather stationary, aging QB.
Fields is in his athletic prime and is one of the most dangerous runners of the football in the NFL, regardless of position.
Rodgers certainly is a more gifted passer, but the goal of an offense is to move the ball. Fields just does it a different way.
No, Fields likely won’t have the career of Rodgers. But for the Jets right now, it turns out he was the right fit.
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