There are no doubts about Jets QB Justin Fields' athleticism. It made him a star at Ohio State and a top-10 NFL Draft pick with a chance to become a franchise quarterback in Chicago.
Becoming a franchise quarterback requires more than just athleticism. Fields made plenty of plays on the ground in Chicago, but he didn't do enough with his arm to cement himself as a long-term starter in the NFL.
Fields isn't out of chances just yet, but he is running low as he puts on the green and white to succeed Aaron Rodgers with the Jets.
Here's what you need to know about the family that helped put Fields in position to become an NFL quarterback.
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Justin Fields dad: Ivant 'Pablo' Fields
Some of Fields' football abilities come from his father, Ivant — also known as Pablo — who played linebacker at Eastern Kentucky.
Ivant claims he had the talent to play at the Division I level but not the grades. "I had D-1 talent, but I had to go to Eastern Kentucky because I didn’t have the grades," he told Chicago's WGN9 in 2023. "I finished the SAT in about 5 minutes because I just put ‘C’s’ all the way down."
With his own struggles in mind, Ivant took a lead role in developing his son as both a man and a football player.
“I always challenged him when he was young," Ivant said. Football wasn't all he focused on however. Ivant said he played classical music for Justin as a baby to help develop his brain, and Justin said his father was tough on him when it came to how to treat others and show respect.
That effort was a resounding success, as Justin took those life skills (and football skills) and became a five-star recruit before shining at Ohio State and punching his ticket to the NFL.
Ivant currently lists himself as a school resource officer in the Atlanta area.
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Justin Fields mom: Gina Tobey
Fields' mother, Gina, doesn't come from an athletic background, but she has quite an interesting backstory.
Gina graduated from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee with a degree in vocal performance with a focus on opera, so she has a gifted voice. For her career, however, Gina broke into sales. She has spent time with a handful of companies as either a sales manager or relationship manager, according to her Linkedin, including DHL. She currently works at Corpay, a company that works with businesses to help them make payments.
Gina split with Ivant early in Justin's life. Her current relationship status is not known.
Before she moved to Georgia, Gina was raised in coastal Hyannis, Mass. and attended Barnstable High School in southeast Massachusetts.
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Justin Fields stepmother: Jo Ann Claudrick Fields
Fields' stepmother, Jo Ann, is married to Ivant; the two have two daughters together. She attended Georgia State University and is an attorney in the Atlanta area.
Jo Ann is a frequent supporter of Justin at his games, even as his stepmother. She was pictured with Ivant at Justin's first home game with the Steelers in 2024.
Justin Fields sisters
Jaiden Fields
Fields' older half-sister, Jaiden, played softball at the University of Georgia, where Justin started his college football career. Jaiden was named Second-Team All-SEC in her redshirt senior season in 2023, though her best statistical season came in 2022 when she hit .331 with 10 home runs and a 1.001 OPS. Because she redshirted in 2019 and earned another year of eligibility as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jaiden played all the way through the 2024 season for the Bulldogs.
Jaiden attended the same high school as Justin, Harrison High School, before heading to Athens.
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Jessica Fields
Fields' half-sister, Jessica, is a four-star basketball recruit in the class of 2025 and committed to the University of Michigan in 2024. A standout at Mount Paran Christian School in Kennesaw, Georgia, Jessica stands at 6-1 and chose the Wolverines over Boston College, Clemson and Northwestern.
[Jessica] is a capable frontcourt option who could potentially play the power forward or even the small-ball center position at the next level for short periods," 247 Sports' profile reads, also calling her one of the country's top rebounders in the 2025 class.
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Where is Justin Fields from?
Fields was born and raised in Kennesaw, Georgia, a northwest suburb of Atlanta. He starred at Harrison High School in Kennesaw before staying in-state and heading to Georgia to start his college football career.
Fields transferred to Ohio State after one year at Georgia and was granted immediate eligibility with the Buckeyes. Despite playing away from home for the first time, Fields fulfilled expectations, took Ohio State to the national championship game in his second season with the program and made himself a top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Fields' hometown Falcons had the chance to draft him in 2021 with Matt Ryan nearing the end of his time in Atlanta, but the franchise selected Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 pick. Fields slid all the way to No. 10, but he was the next quarterback off the board.