As yet another disappointing season for the New York Jets concludes, more and more is coming out about just how dysfunctional the organization is from top to bottom. What exactly was said about the front office, and what was the public reaction to the reports?
What Did Jets Owner Woody Johnson Do?
Jets owner Woody Johnson has been under fire recently for a multitude of reasons. The first reason fans are unhappy is that he reportedly was using his teenage son’s opinions on player ratings from the Madden NFL video game to influence real-world team decisions.
The first example of this is when Johnson declined to sign guard John Simpson. Per a New York Times report, the reason for not signing Simpson was because his “awareness” rating was too low in the game.
“When we’re discussing things, you’ll hear Woody cite something that Brick or Jack read online that’s being weighed equally against whatever opinion someone else in the department has,” an unnamed Jets executive told TheAthletic.com.
Another example of this is when General Manager Joe Douglas brought the idea of trading for Denver wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. He was looking for another weapon for Aaron Rodgers to throw to.
Reports indicate that Johnson took to the internet to research Jerry Jeudy and determined he was not a fit for the Jets because of his Madden rating being too low.
The Athletic reports that Woody Johnson and his family would walk around the locker room criticizing players. An example of this is when quarterback Mike White was a member of the team; he threw his helmet on the floor before going to take a shower.
The report states that Jets players heard Johnson say: “You should throw your helmet, you f*****g suck.”
This story has hilarious nugget after hilarious nugget.
A Texans related one: Woody Johnson's son Brick Johnson gave [what he thought was] a speech while giving Garrett Wilson a game ball, then posted it to IG.
"It was the most awkward, cringe-worthy, brutal experience." https://t.co/Zoug5whWXH pic.twitter.com/7nByA21D7W
— Paul Gallant (@GallantSays) December 19, 2024
This is far from typical behavior for a locker room for sports at any level, let alone at the highest level.
Dan Le Batard Speaks Out on Johnson
Dan @LeBatardShow went IN on NY Jets owner Woody Johnson. 😳
"Woody Johnson — while he lives in the shadows — I think most of us know to be a clown. Most of the details that we know about Woody Johnson … are not things that say that Woody Johnson is excellent about anything… pic.twitter.com/D46jFItfYk
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) December 20, 2024
On a recent episode of “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” NFL analyst Dan Le Batard made his feelings clear on the state of the Jets as well as the recent outroar regarding the front office’s mishaps.
What stands out, outside of calling Johnson a “clown,” is how he likens teams to “family pets” for some owners. He states this in the context that they don’t treat the organization, the players, or even the staff with the respect that one would expect when interacting with other people.
Obviously, this isn’t the case in all organizations, but this could be a major problem for acquiring, signing, and retaining talent in this specific organization.
When comparing Le Batard’s comments to what else is said in the media, it is almost universally agreed upon that Johnson runs a highly dysfunctional organization, and that is the biggest contributor to why this team falls short of its expectations time and time again.
With the cat reportedly out of the bag on the Jets’ evaluation process and how the entire Johnson family treats the players within the organization, it is clear that something needs to be changed in order to retain its current players and attract new talent in the future.
In the NFL, just like in everyone’s everyday life, it is always preferred to be in a workplace to feel valued, know your efforts are appreciated, and most importantly, be treated with respect.