Normally, the thought of the New York Jets potentially opening the 2026 season against the Kansas City Chiefs would be bad enough, especially with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce still around.
However, Mahomes is still recovering from a torn ACL, and it remains unclear whether he will be ready to go in Week 1. Barring an injury or another roster move, the Chiefs would turn to ex-Jets quarterback Justin Fields as the short-term starter after acquiring him in a trade earlier this month.
Speaking with NFL Media’s Judy Battista this weekend, Reid said Mahomes is spending roughly seven hours a day at the Chiefs’ facility. Reid reiterated, though, that it is still too early to have a timeline for Mahomes’ return to the field.
“Well, we snuck out and got a good quarterback to back him up,” Reid said. “So … if he’s not able to make it for the beginning of the season, then we know we’ve got a legitimate backup there that can go win games for us.”
Although the NFL won’t announce its 2026 schedule until April, it’s nonetheless amusing to consider the possibility of Fields beginning his Chiefs tenure against a Jets organization that quickly regretted signing him.
The Jets must address their long-term quarterback problem after trading Justin Fields
Fields arrived in New York last offseason with relatively high expectations, partly because he was a 26-year-old, dual-threat quarterback who had flashed with the Bears and Steelers. Unfortunately for Fields and the Jets, he never elevated the team’s abysmal offense, averaging only 139.9 passing yards in nine games.
Jets owner Woody Johnson had seen enough after the team’s 0-7 start, and Fields’ departure quickly became inevitable. The Jets agreed to pay Fields an $8 million signing bonus in exchange for the Chiefs taking him off their hands and sending over a 2027 sixth-round pick.
With Fields gone, two-time Pro Bowler Geno Smith is expected to open next season as the Jets’ starting quarterback. Smith, a 2013 Jets second-round pick, hasn’t played for the team since suffering a knee injury in October 2016. However, Smith is coming off throwing a league-leading 17 interceptions for the Raiders, and the 35-year-old is a short-term option at best.
Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe are the other quarterbacks on the Jets’ active roster. With nine total draft picks, including four within the first 44, the Jets could potentially add another quarterback in the upcoming draft. ESPN’s Matt Miller recently suggested the Jets use a Day 2 pick on Penn State’s Drew Allar, who recently participated in a private workout.
Other possible options could include LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier or Miami’s Carson Beck, both of whom have extensive starting experience.