Just when you thought the Jets couldn’t get any more dysfunctional, they continue to prove otherwise.
That never became more evident than after a damning report of Woody Johnson’s ownership of the franchise was published by The Athletic and laid bare the issues within 1 Jets Drive in Florham Park.
The report included explosive nuggets such as that Johnson has used video-game ratings to evaluate players, has his teenage sons involved in team meetings and that the Johnson family has openly trashed Gang Green players.
One of the examples given in the article released on Thursday morning was in 2022 when the Jets’ Week 17 loss at Seattle officially eliminated the team from playoff contention. Johnson criticized quarterback Mike White’s performance after he had played with broken ribs, which he had suffered two weeks earlier in a loss to the Bills.
“After the game, with the quarterback in the showers after throwing his helmet to the locker room floor, multiple Jets players said they heard Johnson say, ‘You should throw your helmet, you f–king suck.’ The statement got back to White,” The Athletic reported.
A spokesperson later told The Athletic that Johnson apologized to White for the comment, but the damage was done.
The Athletic also said that Johnson’s sons directed “disparaging” comments at certain players following the Jets’ Week 17 loss at Cleveland in 2023.
In 2022, the Jets began the season with a promising 7-4 start. However, Gang Green collapsed and lost six straight to end the season 7-10 and missed the playoffs, extending its playoff drought to 12 seasons. Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles injury in his Jets debut resulted in another 7-10 campaign in 2023. The Jets have now gone 14 years without making the playoffs after being eliminated following a loss to the Dolphins earlier this month.
Currently, Johnson is looking for another new coach and a general manager after firing Saleh on Oct. 8 and Joe Douglas on Nov. 19. Although there are only 32 NFL coaching and general manager jobs around the league, there are likely going to be candidates who want nothing to do with the Jets organization.
The article also referenced multiple instances when Johnson mentioned “Madden NFL” player ratings when discussing potential trade targets.
Johnson reportedly got involved and nixed a trade with the Broncos for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy because his Madden rating was allegedly too low. In another instance, Johnson also “pushed back on signing left guard John Simpson due to a lackluster ‘awareness’ rating in Madden.”
The Jets eventually signed Simpson last March anyway, and he has been one of their best offensive linemen this season, playing in every game to this point.
One of the most perplexing part of The Athletic’s report is the influence within the organization of his two teenage sons, Brick and Jack.
“I answer to a teenager,” Douglas reportedly joked to pals before the season.
Johnson declined to comment to the publication, and the Jets disputed the claims.
“It is used as a reference point, it is not determinative,” the spokesperson said to The Athletic about influence of Brick and Jack over their father. “It’s really sad that an adult would use a misleading anecdote about teenagers to make their father look bad. It’s ridiculous, quite honestly, the idea that this was used to influence the opinion of experienced executives.
“[The sons] have no roles in the organization. It’s completely ridiculous to suggest that any outside info is intended to replace the opinions of [Johnson’s] staff.”
The Jets have been criticized for years for being a dysfunctional organization. They currently have the longest playoff drought in North American sports and the longest losing season drought (nine).
Johnson is not the first meddling owner in sports and will not be the last. But he is the biggest reason why the Jets are currently in the funk they have been in for the past 14-plus seasons.
Too often since becoming the owner in 2000, Johnson has involved himself in football activities, whether it’s going into the locker room after games or influencing roster decisions. Before he fired Douglas, Johnson heavily facilitated the Davante Adams trade to the Jets on Oct. 15, according to sources. He also eventually got Haason Reddick to end his holdout due to a contract dispute, although that was Douglas’ job.
Johnson also suggested that the Jets coaches bench Rodgers after their 10-9 loss to the Broncos in Week 4, according to sources. Obviously, Rodgers kept starting for the Jets and has played in every game this season, but some people were reportedly stunned by the suggestion.
If the Jets want to end their stretch of playoff futility, it has to start with Johnson at the top. Since last making the playoffs in 2010, the Jets have had a handful of rebuilds but nothing to show for it. Johnson will hire his fourth coach since Rex Ryan guided the Jets to the AFC title game on Jan. 23, 2011.
It’s vital that Johnson hires the right general manager and coach. More importantly, he must stay out of the way and let the football personnel he hires do their jobs. That is one of the many reasons the Jets are 4-10 and have nothing to play for but pride during the season’s last three weeks.
If Johnson continues to run his team like it’s cocktail hour in Palm Beach, the Jets will continue to miss the playoffs season after season.
