Breece Hall blasts Jets media for 'pathetic' Justin Fields treatment

The tension surrounding the New York Jets’ quarterback situation took another turn this week, but this time it wasn't due to Aaron Glenn's oftentimes contentious press conferences.

Running back Breece Hall publicly criticized members of the local media on Friday, calling their treatment of benched quarterback Justin Fields “pathetic” after a series of attempts to get Fields to comment on his demotion.

Fields hasn’t met with reporters since he was benched earlier this week, and the Jets’ PR staff has declined multiple requests to make him available. That led some reporters to try approaching Fields directly at his locker.

When Brian Costello of the New York Post asked Fields for a reaction to being benched, the veteran QB kept it brief, saying, “There’s no reaction. That’s life. S—t happens.”

Breece Hall defends Justin Fields from 'pathetic' Jets media

Hall didn’t appreciate the exchange. Shortly after Costello posted the interaction on social media, Hall replied and urged him to “grow up and stop acting like little kids nagging somebody till they get mad.”

Hall came to the defense of a teammate who had endured a difficult season while still handling himself professionally. Fields has struggled mightily on the field, but inside the building, he’s been widely respected for how he’s carried himself amid heavy scrutiny.

Hall’s comments obviously weren’t framed as excusing Fields’ performance, as players understand the expectations and the realities of playing quarterback in New York. But the Jets’ star running back felt the post-benching pursuit crossed a line, especially during a week that was likely hard on the 26-year-old quarterback.

Fields' raw box score numbers in his nine games as the Jets' starter this year don't look awful on paper. He's thrown for seven touchdowns and just one interception, completing 63% of his passes while adding 383 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

But those who have watched Fields and the Jets offense operate this season know that his benching was inevitable. The former first-round pick ranks last among all qualified quarterbacks in the NFL in EPA per play when filtering out garbage time. He's thrown for under 60 yards in four of his nine starts.

The Jets made the correct decision benching Fields in favor of veteran backup Tyrod Taylor. Still, that doesn't mean he should be subject to nonstop pestering from reporters at his locker after declining to comment previously.

Whether Fields speaks in the coming days remains to be seen, but Hall’s defense showed that even during a challenging moment for the organization, players still look out for each other. That's always nice to see.