If you’ve followed my tirades for the last few years, you likely know that I am not a fan of New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. While many owners stay within the shadows of organizational day-to-day activities, Johnson has proven that greed and attention are what he lusts, far more than having a winning franchise.
From agreeing to being co-owners on a bland Metlife Stadium, to wearing a “Woody and the Jets” chain, to meddling in actual personnel usage on the field, Johnson has proven to be nothing short of a nuisance within the organization. In fact, his presence points more towards being like another owner in the NFL, which doesn’t bode well for Jets fans.
Woody Johnson is the New York Jets version of Jerry Jones
Long before Johnson flew his helicopter to practice to fire Joe Douglas, in the same fashion that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones flew to his practice facility (for no reason at all?), the signs of a narcissistic owner were there.
Woody Johnson arrived at #Jets practice in a helicopter.
Joe Douglas joked to Jeff Ulbrich, “Well, if they pull me off the practice field, it’s been an honor serving with you.”
Well Douglas was pulled off the field and that was the last anyone saw of him 😳😭
(@JayGlazer /… pic.twitter.com/EK1NRjagYw
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) November 24, 2024
Let’s start with the 2008 season; one where Johnson went against the wishes of then-head coach Eric Mangini to acquire Green Bay Packers quarterback, and future Hall of Famer, Brett Favre. At first glance, it looked like the right decision.
After all, Mangini and Mike Tannenbaum had built a solid foundation. Unfortunately, Favre would suffer (and play through) an injury that saw the Jets go from Super Bowl contenders, to missing the playoffs. Obviously, the similarities between that season and 2023 involving Aaron Rodgers are incredibly similar (and have been discussed about ad nauseum), so we won’t rehash old and repetitive news. However, it’s the inability to differentiate from past decisions that continue the insanity the Jets always find themselves in.
Yet while Woody Johnson emulates the narcissistic behavior of Jones, there’s one thing the Cowboys’ owner has that the Jets don’t – actual Super Bowl victories.
Those victories have led to a degree of hubris from Jones that Cowboys fans have loathed for years. However, that lack of success hasn’t stopped Johnson from bathing in his own ego.
Last year was a perfect example of that, with Johnson wearing a “Woody and the Jets” chain while appearing on HBO’s “Hard Knocks”. In hilariously irony, fans actually loved that schtick. However, that should have rather been foreshadowing into the mind of a mediocre, meddling, owner.
Honestly, what other owner would have the type of hubris to wear that kind of jewelry while their team holds the longest playoff drought in the four major North American sports?
Woody Johnson’s chain says “Woody and the Jets” 😂 pic.twitter.com/s97j6NcCa1
— That’s So Kiesha 😜 (@RKieshaTM) September 15, 2023
At this point, you’ll be hard-pressed to find owners that want to be in the spotlight more than Jones and Johnson. Yet that isn’t the most damning thing about Johnson.
The Athletic report shows a circus led by Johnson
Remember when I mentioned hubris? Perhaps nothing shows that more than the report that came out from The Athletic earlier this year that included the Jets owner wanting Aaron Rodgers benched after their loss to Denver (when the team was just 2-2). It also included the owner wanting to bench safety Tony Adams, and vetoing trade and contract ideas from Joe Douglas.
When asked if the report on benching Adams was true, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich chose not to comment. And that decision spoke louder than if he decided to actually make a statement.
Ulbrich wouldn’t confirm or deny that Woody Johnson instructed him to bench S Tony Adams. Ulbrich said he wants the players to live in the present, so he has to do the same.
Ulbrich: “Mr. Johnson and myself, we have great dialogue. We have consistent dialogue. We talk all the…
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) November 25, 2024
However, one should look to the audacity in and of itself for someone with zero football knowledge, to make football decisions, as to why the Jets have been a struggling franchise under Woody Johnson.
Woody Johnson only cares about one thing – and it isn’t Jets fans
If there’s one thing that Johnson has shown, it’s that his love for money exceeds his love for the team he owns. While Johnson would love to see the Jets win, it isn’t because of his passion for New York. Rather, it’s because it will further line his pockets with money.
Nothing shows how little Johnson cares about the fans than his utterly absurd ticket price increases for season-ticket holders. Prices were raised 24 percent last year after Rodgers tore his Achilles. To make things worse, fans saw a 23.2 percent increase this season despite yet another losing season.
It would be one thing if the Jets were a winning franchise. Even a mediocre franchise would allow those prices to be somewhat passable. Yet it’s the consistently losing seasons, and lack of playoff appearances that make those price increases absurd.
Unfortunately for Jets fans, Johnson isn’t going away anytime soon. While the “sell the team” chants add embarrassment to an already sad organization, it does little in the grand scheme of things. Considering how much financial success Johnson has had with the Jets, likely will never sell the team.
However, fans can still hurt his bottom dollar by not renewing season tickets, and stopping purchases that directly profit the NFL and the Jets themselves. The problem is, the Jets and Johnson have the NFL machine backing them. So at the end of the day, fans are stuck with Johnson as an owner until he decides to sell.
Johnson is a stain that the franchise is unable to cleanse.
