Chiefs Acquire Justin Fields to Back Up Injured Patrick Mahomes
The Kansas City Chiefs traded for Jets quarterback Justin Fields to serve as a backup while Patrick Mahomes recovers from an ACL tear.
The Kansas City Chiefs traded for New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields on Monday, securing an experienced backup as Patrick Mahomes rehabilitates from an ACL tear suffered in December.
The Jets will receive a sixth-round pick in the 2027 draft, while Kansas City gets a seventh-round pick in return. The Chiefs will assume $3 million of Fields' $10 million guaranteed salary for the 2025 season.
Fields will serve as the Chiefs' primary quarterback during the offseason program while Mahomes recovers. Though Mahomes and the organization have expressed confidence he'll be ready for the regular season's start, Kansas City lacked an experienced backup after Gardner Minshew signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency. The only other quarterbacks on the roster were Chris Oladokun and Jake Haener.
Fields Seeks Redemption After Failed Jets Stint
Fields signed a two-year, $40 million contract with New York last offseason but delivered disappointing results. He compiled a 2-7 record in nine starts, throwing for just 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He added 383 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns before the Jets benched him in mid-November as the offense ranked among football's worst.
The 27-year-old has struggled considerably throughout his five-year career. As a starter with the Bears, Steelers, and Jets, he's posted a 16-37 record with an 84.7 career passer rating.
The Jets signaled their intentions to move on in early free agency when they acquired veteran quarterback Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raidersβa full-circle move that reunites Smith with the organization that originally drafted him, where he spent his first five seasons.
