As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for the upcoming NFL season, quarterback moves are grabbing attention. With Patrick Mahomes recovering from an ACL injury, the team has acquired Justin Fields.
Rumors around Wilson as a backup
On Sunday, reports suggested the Kansas City Chiefs might bring in veteran quarterback Russell Wilson as a backup for injured starter Patrick Mahomes.
Wilson had a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the New York Giants but played very little this season. He lost his starting spot to rookie Jaxson Dart after three straight losses. With Mahomes out due to an ACL injury and backup Gardner Minshew traded to the Arizona Cardinals, Wilson seemed like a good fit for Kansas City. However, the Chiefs chose a different option.
Trade details
On Monday, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that they had acquired Justin Fields from the New York Jets. The Jets who had a tough season last year with a 3-14 record were planning to release Fields before the new season. Instead, they made a trade with the Chiefs. Kansas City gave the Jets a sixth-round pick in 2027 for Fields. The Jets agreed to pay $7 million of his $10 million guaranteed 2026 salary, and the Chiefs will pay the remaining $3 million.
Also Read: Patrick Mahomes injury news: Will Chiefs QB be ready for Week 1? Inside Justin Fields trade
Who is Justin Fields?
Fields is 27 and began his college career with the Georgia Bulldogs before transferring to Ohio State where he won the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award in each of his two seasons. He was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, spending three seasons in Chicago before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. He was then traded to the Jets the following year.
As for Russell Wilson, he is still on the market and continues to search for a new team ahead of the 2026 season. While he was a strong candidate for the backup role in Kansas City, the team chose to bring in Fields instead.