Justin Fields Joins Chiefs as Backup QB via Trade

Justin Fields has joined the Kansas City Chiefs as a backup quarterback, arriving via trade from the New York Jets in March and expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity to learn from Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid amid the team's efforts to rebound from a disappointing 2025 season.

The 27-year-old Fields, entering his fourth NFL team in as many years, was acquired by the Chiefs in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round draft pick. Kansas City also agreed to cover $7 million of his $10 million guaranteed salary for the upcoming season. Fields signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the Jets last offseason, but his tenure there ended after a 2-7 record as a starter. He threw for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception while rushing for 383 yards and four scores before being benched in November.

Fields steps into a Chiefs organization seeking stability following a lost 2025 campaign that saw them miss the playoffs after failing to achieve a Super Bowl three-peat the previous year. His primary role will be to support Mahomes, the two-time NFL MVP who suffered a torn ACL and LCL in his right knee on December 14, 2025. Mahomes is targeting a return for Week 1 of...