Chad Pennington, a son of Knoxville, TN, went international when the Jets' former quarterback took questions from Jets fans as part of the team's Live Q&A for members of the Green & White's International Fan Club, New York Jets FC. In 2022 and 2024, respectively, the Jets were awarded marketing rights to the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of the NFL's Global Markets Program and will return to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London again this coming season.
Over the course of an hour of questions from Jets fans in England, Scotland and Ireland, Pennington chatted about his career and experience in the NFL but kicked off the session as he cast an expert's eye on recent developments centering on the signing in free agency of quarterback Justin Fields and the team's selections in the recent NFL Draft.
"Well, one thing's for sure, the Jets wanted to stay in the Southeast with their picks, right?" Pennington said in reference to the Jets' four players taken from SEC schools and three from the ACC.
"So that was certainly the case, and I really don't blame them. A lot of good football is being played down to the southeastern part of the United States, for sure. But I thought the draft, it looked to be very intentional, correct? I mean, when you bring a guy like Justin Fields in, you want to make sure that you're doing what's necessary to protect him number one. And then number two, give him some tools in the passing game to be successful and be able to deliver the football accurately, on time and to some playmakers who can make plays in space.
"And it certainly seems that all of these draft picks address those needs. And so, it was very purposeful. It doesn't surprise me at all when you think about [HC] Aaron Glenn and what he's about. Everything he does is going to be for a rhyme and a reason. It's not just going to be because he thinks it's a good thing. He's going to make sure there's a rhyme and a reason to everything. And I think the draft was the epitome of that thought process."
Fields, still only 26 years old, was drafted out of Ohio State by the Chicago Bears with the No. 11 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons in the Windy City before moving on to Pittsburgh for the 2024 NFL season. In six games, he had a 4-2 record as a starter with the Steelers. He was among the first free agents signed by the team's new GM Darren Mougey and new HC Aaron Glenn.
"First, I hope that although it's not how you draw it up, I hope that Justin is able to look upon these three experiences and go: 'Man, I've got some experience here. I can draw from what others cannot, meaning I've been able to tap into different organizations, different coaches, different players, and take things that I think can make me a better professional to be the best I can be for the New York Jets.'
"So, there's some seasoning there that has come along in a short amount of time. And although it's been painful, sometimes I think it will prove to be beneficial for him. And now he can look at this as, wow, I've got a clean slate. I've got a place that I feel like I can call my own, a team I can call my own. And let's go after it. Let's throw all the cards out on the table. Let's hold nothing back, and let's really show what I can do as a player and as a leader for this organization.
"So, I'm excited to see his development, and I wish you the best. I hope he does really well."
As Fields now prepares to play for his third team in the NFL, Pennington, who played for the Jets for eight seasons -- completing an impressive 65.6% of his passes for 13,738 yards and 82 TDs -- said that the Green & White's new quarterback has been learning in each of his three stops along the way.
"I've always felt like he has been relatively fundamentally sound, even from when he was a young player in college and high school, looking at some of those old tapes. I remember Andy Dalton talking about how he talked with Justin when they worked together [with the Bears in 2021], about shortening his release and becoming more compact. I think that was great advice from Andy Dalton.
"Sometimes some of our quarterback gurus just think it's all about velocity of the ball. When you're passing the football in the NFL or in football in general, it's not. Passing the football is completely different than throwing the football. And you've got to know how to throw compact. You've got to be compact. Got to understand timing and accuracy, arc, pace, all these different things that are different than just a thrower. There's a lot of people on the street that can throw the football but be able to see the field in three dimensions, not two dimensions, and pass the football. I hope he's been able to learn that through his time.'
