The New York Jets, 3-8 on the season, are in a freefall. After firing their head coach at the beginning of October and their general manager earlier this week, both decisions coming directly from owner Woody Johnson, even more rumors and details have emerged about the billionaire’s heavy-handed involvement in football operations.
Johnson’s input extends far beyond the norm for an NFL owner
The NFL is no stranger to passionate owners providing their input, and even making strong suggestions, to the professionals that run the football side of their teams. From the legendary Al Davis to the always hands-on Jerry Jones, to the more subdued but still influential Mara family, the NFL has seen its fair share of meddling owners.
However, perhaps no owner is more well-known in the game today for going out of his depth than Johnson. The Jets have always been second fiddle to their stadium-mate, the New York Giants, even playing their games in Giants Stadium, MetLife stadium’s predecessor.
That’s led Johnson to force acquisitions to win back-page headlines. Johnson has done more than simply direct his general managers to spend big even when doing so wouldn’t be prudent over his 25-year ownership. Johnson has, at times, directed his football personnel department to acquire specific players at nearly any cost, despite sound football logic.
Look no further than the ill-fated Tim Tebow trade that Johnson orchestrated, undermining his young quarterback Mark Sanchez, who had been under center for the team’s back-to-back AFC Championship runs in 2009 and 2010.
The Athletic recently reported on just how many decisions Johnson influenced, demanded, and vetoed in recent years, many of which have failed in spectacular fashion. While some owners may become enamored with certain players, Johnson often overruled his entire football operations department, mandating acquisitions and displaying an unprecedented level of involvement.
Glaring overreaches of authority have become the norm in 2024
While pushing to acquire or trade away certain players is not entirely out of the norm for NFL owners, making strategic game decisions certainly is. This season, Johnson has instructed his coaching staff on which players to play on at least two occasions.
First, Johnson suggested that the Jets bench future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers after Week 4’s loss to the Denver Broncos. While Rodgers has not been good this season, the coaching staff overruled Johnson with the understanding that the 40-year-old quarterback needed some time to shake off the rust while coming back from last season’s season-ending Achilles tear.
Just one week later, after another loss in Week 5 to the Minnesota Vikings, former Jets’ head coach Robert Saleh was fired in a decision solely made by Johnson. The dots are not hard to connect there.
Even if you want to forgive an owner for giving his input on who starts at the game’s most important position, bizarre reports have come out that it was Johnson behind the Week 11 benching of starting safety Tony Adams.
Adams, a third-year UDFA, hardly makes enough money to warrant the owner’s wrath and has been a serviceable player as Pro Football Focus’s 38th highest-graded safety, considering there are 64 starting safeties in the NFL. Not only that, safety is one of the least impactful positions on the field, making it truly strange that an owner would have an opinion as to who should start.
The Jets will have a hard time attracting quality head coach and general manager candidates
Johnson’s apparent willingness to insert himself into even the most minute decisions on the field presents a serious problem for the Jets. NFL executives and coaches understand the need to placate demanding owners, but they are not used to billionaires with no football background unilaterally dictating everything from player personnel to in-game strategy.
Ironically, November 5th’s Presidential Election results may be the only thing that can save the Jets and help the franchise bring in quality football people to run the organization. Johnson served in Donald Trump’s first administration as the ambassador to the United Kingdom, and rumor is that Trump will select him for yet another position.
Jets fans better hope that’s the case, as it’s likely the only way to get the toxic, meddling owner out of the way and properly rebuild the franchise.