For the first time since losing his starting job, New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields faced reporters on Wednesday.

Fields spoke at his locker after practice, reflecting on the moment he was benched following the team’s Week 11 Thursday night loss to the New England Patriots.

“I did not anticipate it [the benching] whatsoever,” proclaimed Fields.

The former Ohio State standout said he still believes he’ll start in the NFL again. When asked whether he wants to return to the Jets next season, Fields declined to answer, while saying he’s taking things “one week at a time.”

After signing a two-year, $40 million contract this offseason, including $30 million guaranteed, the Jets always knew the Fields experiment came with risk. They also knew they could move on after this season without significant financial consequences that would hinder their offseason approach.

This offseason, if the Jets move on from Fields before June 1, they would take a $22 million dead-cap hit while freeing just $1M in space. A post-June 1 release would lower the dead-cap charge to $13M this offseason and save $10M, though it would push another $9M onto the 2027 books.

Fields arrived as a quarterback with elite physical gifts and undeniable upside, but with the same lingering question marks: inconsistency, growth as a passer, and the need for steady progress. It was always a calculated gamble, and the Jets took their shot. Ultimately, it didn’t work out.

Too much of the old inconsistency resurfaced. Fields delivered flashes and full-game promise, like Week 1 against Pittsburgh and Week 8 in Cincinnati, but most of his remaining starts painted a different picture entirely. Too often, he didn’t look like a starting-caliber quarterback. And as the season wore on, the negatives continued to outweigh the positives.

Across his nine starts for Gang Green this season, Fields led the Jets to a 2-7 record while completing 62.7% of his passes for 1,259 yards and seven touchdowns against one interception. He added 383 rushing yards on 71 carries and scored four times on the ground.

But the turnover issues still lingered. Even with just one interception, Fields logged four fumbles. He also absorbed 27 sacks, the seventh most among quarterbacks this season, while his pressure-to-sack rate (23.3%) ranks as the fourth highest in the league.

All that’s left for Fields is the quiet wait to see who’s willing to bet on him next.