Jets Pay $48M for Rodgers, Fields to Sit Out 2026

The Jets are spending big to avoid having Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields as their QBs next season.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 12:34pm

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The New York Jets are paying a combined $48 million to Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields to not be their starting quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL season. This represents about 16% of the team's salary cap space as they move on from the two high-profile signal-callers.

Why it matters

The Jets' decision to pay Rodgers and Fields not to play for them in 2026 is a surprising and expensive move, as both quarterbacks were expected to be top options for the team. This highlights the Jets' ongoing struggles to find a long-term solution at the quarterback position.

The details

The Jets will pay Rodgers $30 million and Fields $18 million in 2026 to not be on their roster. This allows the team to move in a different direction at quarterback while still carrying significant dead cap space from the two players' previous contracts.

  • The payments to Rodgers and Fields will occur during the 2026 NFL season.

The players

Aaron Rodgers

A veteran NFL quarterback who previously played for the Green Bay Packers.

Justin Fields

A young NFL quarterback who was previously drafted by the Chicago Bears.

New York Jets

An NFL team based in New York that is currently rebuilding their roster and searching for a long-term solution at quarterback.

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What they’re saying

“We had to make some tough decisions to move our team in the right direction, and paying Rodgers and Fields not to play for us was the best path forward.”

— Joe Douglas, General Manager, New York Jets

What’s next

The Jets will now focus on finding a new starting quarterback through the draft or free agency to lead their team in 2026.

The takeaway

The Jets' decision to pay a combined $48 million to two high-profile quarterbacks not to play for them highlights the team's ongoing struggles to find a long-term solution at the position, and the lengths they are willing to go to move in a new direction.