New York Jets owner Woody Johnson has faced a lot of criticism this year for his decisions. The franchise fired Robert Saleh just five games into the season, and later general manager Joe Douglas was also relieved of his duties.
The Jets are 4-10 and will miss the playoffs for the 14th straight season. Recently, a report by Dianna Russini, Michael Silver, and Zack Rosenblatt from The Athletic revealed that Johnson made some decisions related to the Jets based on the “Madden” video game, which shocked many fans.
NFL Fans React to Latest Report on Woody Johnson
According to the report, the Jets owner vetoed a trade for Jerry Jeudy because the wide receiver’s “Madden NFL 24” rating was low. Johnson also “pushed back” at the idea of signing free agent John Simpson, as his awareness rating on the video game was on the lower side.
The Jets eventually signed Simpson, and he has had a decent season with the team. The reports also revealed that Johnson’s teenage sons, Jack and Brick, have greatly influenced the team’s decisions. A lot of the decisions made by the Jets are based on things that are said by the team’s fans on social media, which is truly astonishing.
After learning the details about how Johnson operates, the fans trolled him on social media and blamed him for the Jet’s struggles. Here’s how they reacted:
Woody Johnson is setting fire to his own franchise 😭😭😭
— 💜 (@thefutxre) December 19, 2024
“Jets will never be a serious franchise,” said one fan.
Another fan added, “No wonder the Jets suck.”
The fact that a billionaire NFL owner is making trade decisions based on what his kids saw in Madden might explain a lot about the Jets' problems.
— Paolotoshi Nakamoto (@pattherogue) December 19, 2024
“We’ve reached the point where NFL owners and executives are dumber than most fans,” wrote a fan.
“How are you an exec for the highest level of football and do this and secondly how are you a businessman a let this story escape to anyone else besides the voice in your head ?” added one fan.
Woody Johnson and David Tepper having a generational battle for taking Dan Snyders spot in being the worse possible owner football has seen https://t.co/2peZ4vHGTG
— Hunt’ (@StandingOnTakes) December 19, 2024
Last month, it was revealed that Johnson asked the team’s coaches to bench Aaron Rodgers after the Week 4 loss to the Denver Broncos. The fans criticized him back then, and now the new Madden rating news is just the cherry on top of why there is a general belief that the Jets are among the worst-run organizations in the league.
Firing Saleh has worsened the team’s situation, as one of the team’s biggest strengths, defense, has contributed to multiple lost games. Since firing their head coach, the Jets’ defense has allowed an average of 26.66 points in nine games compared to 17.0 points in five games with Saleh.
Rodgers has improved over the season, but since the defense has fallen off a cliff, the team will finish with a worse record than it did with Zach Wilson last year (7-10). The Jets will hire a new head coach and general manager this upcoming offseason, but recent reports might lead the best candidates to not even interview for job openings.
Johnson’s reputation has taken a big hit this season, and it will be intriguing to see what moves he will make to redeem himself in the eyes of the fans.
Jerry Jeudy Reacts to Failed Jets Trade Due to Madden Ratings
After failing to land with the Jets, Jeudy was eventually traded to the Cleveland Browns. The wide receiver has had success in Cleveland and the best year of his career after signing a three-year, $52.5 million contract extension with the team. Jeudy has 70 receptions for 1,052 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games, averaging 15.0 yards per reception.
The media recently asked him about his thoughts on how Madden played a role in his failed move to New York. “To be honest, I don’t believe it,” said Jeudy. “I think that’s fake news. … Why would somebody look at Madden’s rating? Be real. I don’t think that’s real, but it’s funny.”
The Jets decided to sign Mike Williams; Williams failed to find success with the team and was eventually traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers after the Jets had brought in Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Jets’ season has been quite disappointing, but the storylines surrounding the franchise do make a script that will be good for television.