For a quarterback already benched and under immense scrutiny, a quiet trip to the massage table should be a safe haven. For Justin Fields, it became another media battleground. So, running back Breece Hall decided he’d heard enough from the media.

The exchange started with Jets beat writer Brian Costello, who approached Fields in the locker room looking for a comment. Fields, clearly not in the mood to rehash the moment, told him he was heading to get a massage and didn’t have time to talk. Costello pushed anyway, trying to coax some reaction to the benching, and Breece Hall didn’t like it.

“Pathetic move by you tbh. Wish some of yall would grow up and stop acting like little kids nagging somebody till they get mad lol,” Hall wrote on his X account.

Fans believe that Hall deserves the captain’s badge for that one. Fields is in the middle of the roughest stretch of his career, and the last thing he needed was to be baited into saying something controversial that would instantly turn into a headline. Hall stepped in, whether for respect, protection, or both. And he was right to do it.

Fields, for his part, handled it exactly the way he had to. Just a little “That’s life. S–t happens.”

He didn’t give anyone a sound bite that could be twisted or held against him. He took the same approach Glenn usually takes in his own press conferences.

The head coach tends to answer what needs answering, shut down what doesn’t, and move on. In a season where Fields has led one of the league’s least productive offenses, been publicly questioned by ownership, dealt with confidence issues, and now lost his starter job, the last thing he can afford is another firestorm of his own making. So he kept quiet. And in his situation, that’s the smart play.

But what does Fields’ benching mean for the future of the Jets‘ quarterback position?

Jets’ quarterback spot in the years to come

When the Jets signed Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal with $30 million guaranteed, it was a clear signal they believed he might finally be their answer at quarterback. You don’t hand out that kind of contract to a ‘bridge’ quarterback. And yet, here they are, staring at a future where it’s hard to imagine Fields being part of the long-term plan.

If they move on next year with a pre-June 1 cut, they take on $22 million in dead money and save only $1 million. But still, it doesn’t look like they’re going to stick with him beyond this year. Especially not after Aaron Glenn decided to bench him. What’s certain now: Fields isn’t the long-term guy. Tyrod Taylor isn’t, either. So what’s next?

Look around the league, and the list of available, legitimate franchise quarterbacks is basically nonexistent. Joe Flacco has played his way into believing he deserves another starting shot next season, so maybe he’s an option. But that’s another short-term fix. Kyler Murray may be on his way out of Arizona, but he’s 28 and coming off a rough season.

The most logical veteran option might be Mac Jones, who has shown he can steady an offense while filling in for Brock Purdy. He’ll want a starting job next year. But it’s hard to picture him choosing a team that feels like it’s taking on water.

This leaves the path that makes the most sense: the draft. The Jets have quietly piled up first-round picks thanks to the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades: two firsts in 2026, three in 2027. That kind of draft capital is the sign of a team preparing for a future built around a young quarterback.