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When it comes to playing quarterback, Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers go about the job quite differently.
Rodgers is the quintessential pocket passer who rarely runs, and Fields is the epitome of a dual-threat quarterback with the ability to beat you just as much with his feet as his arm. The Jets are designing their offensive system around Fields rare combination of 4.5 speed and a howitzer arm. Expect a lot of RPOs – run/pass options.
You can win with both approaches.
Tom Brady won seven rings operating from the pocket, and you just saw the Philadelphia Eagles hoist the Lombardi Trophy last season with dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Rodgers and Fields are polar opposites as players.
So it was surprising to see this particular story all over the internet today.
Yahoo Sports Headline – “Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner says Justin Fields has been making Aaron Rodgers-level throws this offseason.”
This story has gone viral.
Comparing Fields to Rodgers is heady stuff, and Gardner went down that road.
“[Fields] has really been dialed in, trying to make those type of throws,” Gardner said on ESPN. “He made a few throws in OTAs that I’m like, ‘yo, I did not know he was capable of making this throw.’ It’s only a certain amount of quarterbacks that can make [it], I’m talking about his throws on like Aaron’s type of level.
“When it comes to being able to squeeze those throws in there, I always thought Aaron was the best when it came to that… Justin has made a few throws, I like okay, he really has been in the lab.”
Sauce Gardner is not only a great player, but a great guy – a very down-to-earth superstar.
And nothing I’m about to write is a criticism of him. He’s a very positive guy and trying to be very positive about his new QB.
I’m just not sure I would ever compare these two players – they are just so different.
And while there is no doubt that Fields has a strong arm, the way he operates as a passer is very different than Rodgers.
Rodgers is one of the better anticipatory throws the NFL has ever seen, and Fields is more of a see-it, throw-it kind of passer.
Rodgers is elite at going through progressions, and Fields is best suited not having a ton of progressions, but more running read-options, bootlegs, and throwing off play-action.
He is best when the offensive coordinator can use his incredible raw skills and manufacture production via play-calling.
And the good play-callers can do that.
You saw what offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury did with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels last year – brilliant manufactured production via play-calling and great execution.
The Kingsbury-Daniels partnership could not have worked out any better – the play-calling, the timing of the play-calls, and the execution by the QB.
Maybe some of the Fields throws were similar to Rodgers’ in terms of velocity. There is no doubt. Fields has a powerful arm.
But he’s not going to be a full-field reader, go through four progressions, or throw with elite anticipation like Rodgers.
Fields could be successful, with his special skill set, with a great partnership with Tanner Engstrand, with great play-calling and high-leverl execution.
I would avoid comparing him to Rodgers.
You could not talk about two QBs who are more different.
July 3, 2025
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