Jets' quarterback nightmare somehow just got even more embarrassing

There are bad teams, there are dysfunctional teams, and then there are the New York Jets. A franchise that seems to treat rock bottom like a suggestion rather than a destination.

No matter how bleak things get, the Jets always manage to dig just a little deeper. It’s almost impressive, in a cruel, twisted way. They find new and inventive ways to be ridiculous, to torture their fanbase, and to embarrass themselves on the national stage.

Yes, it happened again. Just days after New York Jets owner Woody Johnson publicly buried quarterback Justin Fields following his mid-game benching in Week 7, the former Ohio State star will return to the starting lineup.

No, not because the Jets believe he's their best chance to win — of course not. Tyrod Taylor, the projected starter, has been ruled out of Sunday's Week 8 game against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a knee injury.

Taylor is out. Fields will start. You just can't make this stuff up, man.

Jets will start Justin Fields in Week 8 in latest embarrassing quarterback twist

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn remained non-committal on the team's quarterback situation throughout the week, citing a desire for a competitive advantage. Part of the issue might have been due to Taylor's nagging knee injury.

Taylor underwent a minor procedure on his knee in the summer and has been nursing the injury all year to this point. He was a limited participant in practice all week and seemed fully on track to play on Sunday. His sudden absence is a major surprise.

Taylor's injury absence wouldn't be as disastrous if not for Johnson's comments earlier in the week. The Jets' owner essentially blamed Fields for all of his team's struggles to this point in the season, going as far as to say, "If you look at any head coach with a quarterback like that, you’re going to see similar results."

Now, just a few days later, that quarterback will be starting again for the Jets. Fields has already been massively struggling for confidence over the last few weeks. One can only imagine what will be on his mind when he takes the field in Cincinnati this weekend.

It's the kind of unnecessary and unorthodox drama that only seems to happen when the Jets are involved. Other teams have bad seasons — the Jets turn theirs into a traveling circus.

Every time it feels like they’ve finally hit the floor, they manage to find a hidden trap door. This is a franchise that can turn a quarterback injury into a full-blown public spectacle, complete with owner shade and national mockery.

It's what they do. This is the New York Jets. Never a dull moment in Florham Park.