The Chiefs have filled a big hole.
The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to a trade with the New York Jets for quarterback Justin Fields, landing a new backup for Patrick Mahomes.
According to multiple reports, the Chiefs will send a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Jets in exchange for Fieds, who leaves the Jets after just one season in New York.
Fields had hoped to prove himself as a starter after signing a two-year contract with the Jets.
However, the 11th overall pick of the Chicago Bears in the 2021 NFL Draft featured in just nine games, going 2-7 as a starter, before being placed on season-ending injured reserve in December.
He will now attempt to revitalise his career playing under Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, with Kansas City filling a hole at backup quarterback left by Gardner Minshew’s departure in free agency.
While Fields has not been signed as a starter for the Chiefs, he will get plenty of time working with the starting offense ahead of the new campaign. Mahomes is continuing to rehab after suffering a torn ACL and LCL in December in a defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers that eliminated Kansas City from playoff contention.
The Chiefs finished 2025 with a 6-11 record, their first losing season since 2012, as their run of seven successive AFC Championship Game appearances came to an end.
Patrick Mahomes recovery timeline
Mahomes said in January that his intention to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season.
However, with two knee ligaments needing to heal following surgery, there is no guarantee he will be ready in time as the Chiefs look to produce a bounce-back season.
As such, a trade to Kansas City does represent a potential opportunity for Fields to prove he can thrive in the right situation. Fields has arguably never been in an advantageous situation in his NFL career. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024 after three losing seasons in Chicago before signing with a rebuilding Jets team.
“I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctors said I could,” Mahomes said.
“But I can’t predict what happens throughout the process. That’s the goal, to play Week 1 and have no restrictions. You want to be out there healthy and give us the best chance to win. I hope to do some things in OTAs and training camp and be able to do things there.
“What I’ve found out through this process is not every day is going to feel amazing. You have to have somebody you trust that’s going to get the best out of you but that’s going to keep you safe.”
