Fields Returns, But Should We Even Care?
Okay, folks, gather ’round and let me tell you something: I’m already stressed, and it’s only July. The New York Jets, my beloved Jets, are at it again, dangling hope like a goddamn carrot on a stick. This time, it’s Justin Fields’ toe. Yes, you heard right, his toe. Apparently, dislocating it during Thursday’s practice wasn’t enough to keep him down. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, he was back out there on Saturday, flinging the pigskin like nothing happened. Like a goddamn hero. I’m already bracing for the inevitable heartbreak.
He even completed all six of his pass attempts during 7-on-7 drills, connecting with a bunch of guys whose names I only vaguely recognize (Garrett Wilson, Tyler Johnson, Xavier Gipson, Brandon Smith, and Arian Smith, if you must know, and if you’re like me, you’re already drafting the angry tweets for when they inevitably drop a crucial pass in Week 17). Per The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt, no less! Are we supposed to be impressed? Because I’m mostly just terrified.
The Timeline of Terror
Let’s recap, shall we? On Thursday, Fields gets carted off the field, looking like he’d stubbed his little toe on the coffee table. Head coach Aaron Glenn (a name that will soon be synonymous with disappointment in my household) later diagnoses it as a dislocated toe on his right side. Cue the panic. Friday, he’s back at practice but only watches from the sidelines like he’s some kind of tourist. Tyrod Taylor, Adrian Martinez, and Brady Cook (three names that should strike fear into the heart of every Jets fan) took snaps with the first-string offense. It was a goddamn quarterback carousel of despair.
Then, on Saturday, Fields miraculously returns, participating in both team drills and individual quarterback drills. Glenn, bless his heart, calls it a “day-to-day” issue. Day-to-day? It sounds like a goddamn soap opera. “Just trying to ease him in,” Glenn says, like Fields is some delicate Fabergé egg about to crack at any moment. “We said before, it’s going to be a collaborative process… to make sure that he’s ready-ready when he gets the ball to be involved in the team drills and things like that.” Collaborative process? It sounds like management speak for “we have no goddamn clue what we’re doing.”
Is Fields “Behind?” Of Course, He Is!
Some reporter (probably some smug, well-rested individual who doesn’t spend his nights mainlining antacids) dared to suggest that Fields might be “behind” in adjusting to the new offensive system. Glenn, naturally, pushed back like a toddler being told he can’t have a third cookie. “He’s going to be just fine. He missed one day, he’s been in meetings, so he’ll be just fine,” Glenn said, per SNY. One day? One day in Jets-land is like a goddamn decade in normal time. He’s missed valuable practice time, valuable reps, and valuable opportunities to bond with his receivers over shared misery. I fully expect him to be throwing interceptions directly into the stands by Week 3.
The Bigger Picture: More Doom and Gloom
So, what does this all mean? Well, for starters, it means I’m going to be refreshing Twitter every five minutes for the next six weeks, waiting for the next shoe to drop. More broadly, this is a reminder that the Jets are always one freak injury away from complete and utter collapse. The team’s hopes rest on the shoulders – or, in this case, the toe – of a quarterback who’s still trying to find his footing (pun intended, I guess). The offensive line is questionable, the defense is aging, and the head coach is still learning on the job. What could go wrong? Plenty.
And let’s not forget that the Jets’ training camp runs through Aug. 13, with preseason action set to begin against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 9. The Jets will hope to have Fields back at full capacity before the regular season kicks off with a Sept. 7 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hope? Hope is a dangerous thing, my friends. Especially when it comes to the Jets.
Mailbag Time! (Fake, of Course)
“Hey Drew,” a totally hypothetical Jets fan asks, “Do you think this toe injury is a sign of things to come?”
To which I reply: Is the sky blue? Does Billy Joel still play at Madison Square Garden? Of course, it is! This is the Jets we’re talking about. We’re cursed! Cursed, I tell you! Every glimmer of hope is just a setup for a more spectacular and soul-crushing failure.
The Implication for the League? Zero.
Okay, let’s be real. Does anyone outside of the tri-state area actually give a rat’s ass about Justin Fields’ toe? No. The league won’t change. The standings won’t shift. But for the fans of the New York Jets, this is everything. It’s the difference between cautiously optimistic and reaching for the antacids before the season even starts. Because what else do we have, if not the delusion that this year, this year, things will finally be different?
Conclusion: Embrace the Suck
So, there you have it. Justin Fields’ toe is a microcosm of everything that is both infuriating and tragically hilarious about being a Jets fan. We’re doomed, probably. But hey, at least we have each other, right? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go stock up on Pepto-Bismol. And maybe a therapist. Go, Jets?