Chiefs Acquire Justin Fields as Mahomes Backup

The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to acquire quarterback Justin Fields from the New York Jets, bringing in a veteran option while Patrick Mahomes rehabs an ACL. The Jets will receive a 2027 sixth-round draft pick and will pick up $7 million of Fields' $10 million guaranteed salary for the upcoming season. The deal remains subject to a physical.

Kansas City had been seeking an experienced backup who could step in if Mahomes isn't ready for the start of the 2026 season; Mahomes has said he aims to be available for Week 1 but acknowledged there are no guarantees during the recovery process.

Fields signed a two-year contract with the Jets last March but was benched in November in favor of Tyrod Taylor as New York finished 3-14 in 2025. The 27-year-old did not return to play after the benching and finished the season on injured reserve with a knee issue.

As New York's starter in 2025, Fields went 2-7, throwing seven touchdowns and one interception. He totaled fewer than 55 passing yards in four games, including a season-low 27 yards in a Week Two loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Jets' recent acquisition of Geno Smith from the Las Vegas Raiders further limited Fields' role in New York.

Fields was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. After three seasons in Chicago he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he opened a season as the starter while Russell Wilson dealt with a calf injury. During that stretch he produced five passing touchdowns and five rushing scores with one interception, helping Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start before returning to a backup role when Wilson was healthy.

He joined the Jets last offseason to replace Aaron Rodgers but never established himself as a long-term solution. After an 0-7 start in 2025, Jets owner Woody Johnson pointed to inconsistent quarterback play as a major issue for the club. The trade gives Kansas City a seasoned contingency plan behind Mahomes as the team manages the MVP's recovery.