Jets' Justin Fields says he learned from benching by Steelers - ESPN

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Justin Fields will be the New York Jets' eighth different Week 1 quarterback in the past 14 years.

Yes, he's walking into a tough job. Then again, the one he left was no picnic.

«It was, of course, different for me and a space where I wasn't necessarily comfortable,» Fields said Wednesday in his first media availability since signing a two-year, $40 million contract last month as a free agent.

He helped the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 4-2 start last season, but he was benched for the first time in his life when Russell Wilson was deemed healthy after a calf injury. Fields never got another shot, even when the offense cratered late in the season.

Instead of looking back with bitterness, Fields said he believes the experience will make him a better quarterback for the Jets. He replaces future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, who was released after an uneven season.

«Coach [Mike] Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team, and I'm never going to go against that,» Fields said, reflecting on the benching. «I'm not a selfish guy whatsoever, so I just tried to change my perspective, get better each and every day in practice.»

He was a backup for the past 11 games, plus a playoff game, leaving him in «a place where I wasn't, really, never in… in my entire life,» he said. The Steelers tried to re-sign Fields, but the Jets came in strong with a $30 million guarantee and an opportunity to establish himself as their long-term answer.

Fields insisted the benching had no bearing on his decision to leave the Steelers.

«You can't take things personal,» he said. «That's one thing I've learned over the years, not to take anything personal. At the end of the day, I was just excited of what the Jets had going on