Woody Johnson

Woody Johnson Vetoed Jets’ Trade For Jerry Jeudy Due To Madden Rating

December 22nd, 2024 at 1:24pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

DECEMBER 22: Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports negotiations between the Jets and Broncos on a Jeudy trade never actually reached the point where a deal was imminent. Talks stopped once the previously-known offer including Lazard and a draft pick was made (one which, Florio adds, Denver was not interested in), with Jeudy ultimately being dealt to the Browns. Johnson’s involvement in trade talks ending is unclear based on this update, but an increased offer from Douglas would have been required for Jeudy to have wound up in New York.

DECEMBER 19: Most leaders use information and data from a wide variety of sources to drive their decision-making process. For Jets owner Woody Johnson, that apparently includes his video games and his teenage sons.

It came out after the firing of general manager Joe Douglas that Johnson vetoed the Jets’ acquisition of Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in exchange for Allen Lazard and a Day 2 pick. A month later, the reason for Johnson’s resistance was revealed (via The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver): Jeudy’s rating in EA Sports’ popular Madden video game series.

Jeudy started the 2023 season with an 83 rating in Madden 24 and dropped to an 81 by the offseason, when the trade was being negotiated. (Lazard, meanwhile, began the season at 78 and finished at 76.) This being a method of Jets operation this season would not exactly make working for Johnson especially appealing for HC and GM candidates moving forward, but the owner has made his voice known on several occasions this year. And he is not expected to leave for a role in Donald Trump’s second presidential administration in 2025.

In terms of real-life football, Jeudy was clearly the more productive receiver last year with 54 receptions on 87 targets for 758 yards (3.4 receptions and 47.4 yards per game). Lazard reeled in just 23 of his 49 targets for 311 yards (1.6 receptions and 22.2 yards per game). Lazard has been more effective this year, catching 31 of his 49 targets for 430 yards and five touchdowns, but Jeudy has been even better after being traded to the Browns with career-highs of 70 receptions and 1,052 yards.

The Broncos were believed to have been stunned why the trade talks broke down, as the teams were believed to have been deep in negotiations. Douglas is believed to have told Broncos brass of Johnson’s Madden-based reason for bailing on the trade, per Russini, Rosenblatt and Silver. Denver ended up flipping Jeudy for a lesser return — fifth- and sixth-round picks. The Jets ended up signing Mike Williams to a one-year, $10MM deal — months before unloading him at the deadline.

This is not the only time that a video game has influenced Johnson’s personnel desires. He also “pushed back on signing free-agent guard John Simpson due to a lackluster ‘awareness’ rating in Madden,” per The Athletic. Douglas signed Simpson to a two-year, $18MM deal anyway, and the veteran lineman has quietly earned the eighth-highest grade among NFL guards from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) with a $12MM valuation from OverTheCap for his play this year.

Jets executives have pointed to Johnson’s Madden obsession as evidence of disproportionate influence from his sons, Brick and Jack. They began sitting in on team meetings last year and frequently share posts and articles from social media with their father that are weighed against the advice of the Jets’ decision-makers. “I answer to teenagers,” said Douglas before the season, according to The Athletic.

Johnson’s sons have even violated the traditional sanctity of the Jets’ locker room, bringing friends and openly airing their criticism of the team. Brick Johnson even pre-empted Aaron Rodgers after the Jets’ Halloween win, their first after firing Robert Saleh four weeks prior. Rodgers intended to give a customary game ball to Jeff Ulbrich for his first victory as a head coach. Instead, Brick Johnson jumped into give a game ball to Garrett Wilson – complete with a profanity-laden exclamation for social media – and Woody Johnson took Rodgers’ ball to give to Ulbrich himself. One player called it “the most awkward, cringe-worthy, brutal experience.”

Even for a Jets team that has received a torrent of criticism, this would be new territory. Woody Johnson fired Saleh without going to Douglas and effectively stripped power from his GM this year, predictably preceding Douglas’ ouster weeks later. The owner has entrusted ex-GMs Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman to run the team’s HC search, though the owner obviously has the final call. Today’s revelations add a bizarre chapter to what has been one of the more eventful Jets years; this report coming as the team is conducting searches only adds to the strangeness surrounding this organization.

Jets Notes: Johnson, Rodgers, Hackett

December 20th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Thursday brought a strange revelation from Jets headquarters, bringing Madden into the strange role of roster determinations. Beyond the Jerry Jeudy near-trade quickly becoming one of the odder what-ifs in recent NFL history, the Jets may need to run through some other matters as they attempt to make quality GM and HC hires.

Some of the dysfunction reported does stem from Aaron Rodgers, who effectively kept Nathaniel Hackett employed as the team’s play-caller coming into the season. Before the Jets launched a stealth search for a coach who would cut into Hackett’s duties, The Athletic’s well-detailed Dianna Russini, Zack Rosenblatt and Michael Silver report indicates Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall expressed were not happy with the embattled OC throughout last season (subscription required). This may well have led to a meeting that helped the Rodgers-Woody Johnson relationship reach its present point.

Rumblings circulated that Johnson wanted to fire Hackett after the 2023 season, but Rodgers is believed to have stepped in to prevent that from happening. Rodgers has been close with Hackett since their Green Bay days, long stumping for the veteran OC. This included an offseason meeting with Johnson that “didn’t go over well” with the owner, per The Athletic. Rodgers had brought up this matter with Johnson. Months later, the owner attempted to have the QB benched.

Shortly after that benching effort, Johnson went around GM Joe Douglas and fired Robert Saleh. While Rodgers was accused of being complicit in that ouster, The Athletic notes the quarterback’s conversation with Johnson included a request the owner remain patient with the head coach. This also runs counter to Johnson’s claim the two did not discuss Saleh in that meeting. As could be expected, Rodgers had also told Saleh he disagreed with the then-HC’s decision to demote Hackett — a move interim HC Jeff Ulbrich ended up carrying out anyway.

Going back to Rodgers’ lost 2023 season, the Jets being mathematically eliminated in Week 14 had led Rodgers to cool down his crusade to return from his Achilles tear before season’s end and instead gear up for 2024. This involved continuing to rehab in Los Angeles, but The Athletic adds Johnson pushed the quarterback to come back to New York and return to practice. This prompted the Jets to use one of their injury activations on a player who did not end up playing again. Rodgers expressed disappointment he was activated as it cost fullback Nick Bawden a roster spot. Rodgers said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance the activation — which occurred in Week 16 — was not his idea.

Other strange quarterback incidents have occurred during Johnson’s recent years back from his role as ambassador to the United Kingdom. He is believed to have criticized then-starter Mike White in front of other players, following a Week 17 loss to the Seahawks in which White played through broken ribs. Allegedly saying, “You should throw your helmet; you f—– suck” in reference to White postgame, per Russini, Rosenblatt and Silver. Johnson later apologized to the QB once the owner’s comments eventually got back to him, per a Jets spokesperson. White left in free agency weeks later, leaving the Jets without veteran protection once Rodgers went down.

Postgame criticism from the Johnsons has not been isolated to quarterbacks, as The Athletic adds the owner’s teenage sons — Brick and Jack — were heard “loudly” criticizing multiple players after the Jets’ Week 17 loss to the Browns in 2023. In a separate matter related to access, Johnson also had members of his investment group at Jets draft and free agency meetings this year. These revelations, among others involving access to the team’s locker room, will not exactly endear the Jets to free agents.

Additionally, in a matter perhaps stranger than the Jeudy process, Johnson is believed to have told Douglas to keep the Jets’ Mr. Irrelevant draft choice (No. 257) and instead trade 256 to the Broncos. Denver had asked for No. 257 in the pick-swap trade for Zach Wilson, but the teams ended up finalizing a weeks-long negotiation in a trade that included No. 256 going from Denver to New York. This would be a rather shocking footnote for an eventful Jets year, as this report would have Johnson valuing Mr. Irrelevant-related publicity over a slightly better pick.

White and Wilson are long gone, while Rodgers is viewed as on his way out. But the 2024 Jets draft also included another quarterback, Jordan Travis, chosen in the fifth round. This will amount to a redshirt season for the Florida State alum, who has been on the reserve/NFI list throughout the season. Ulbrich said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) the ankle injury that altered the Seminoles’ CFP hopes last year remains an issue, indicating Travis has suffered setbacks in his recovery this year.

Unlike Hendon Hooker last year, Travis does not appear set to move onto his team’s active roster before season’s end. This would mean Travis’ contract would toll, extending his rookie deal through 2028. Travis has bigger hurdles to navigate in the short term, however.

Johnson is viewed as likely to stay with the Jets following this season. The news of Donald Trump’s second presidential administration tabbing someone else (banker Warren Stevens) as the UK ambassador surprised Johnson, according to The Athletic. The owner will continue to play the lead role in hiring a coach and GM, doing so after brother Christopher Johnson hired Douglas and Saleh. Some hesitation from candidates certainly could be part of the fallout from recent events becoming public.

Woody Johnson Unlikely To Leave Jets For Trump Administration Role?

December 17th, 2024 at 2:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

The first Donald Trump presidential administration featured Jets owner Woody Johnson as the ambassador to the United Kingdom. This led to Johnson not being directly involved with the Todd Bowles firing or the hires of Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh. As the decks are being cleared in New York, Johnson may be playing the lead role as the team retools.

Johnson is not set to be the next UK ambassador; investment banker Warren Stephens is on track to serve in that post. While Johnson could be in line for a separate role during Trump’s second term, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes the Jets are not expecting the owner be part of this administration.

This route taking shape would keep Johnson with the Jets during what will be an eventful period. The Jets fired Saleh after Week 5, with Johnson going around Douglas to make that move, and the owner then canned Douglas last month. The Saleh firing did not key a boost for the Jets, who have slunk to 4-10 (2-7 under interim HC Jeff Ulbrich), and they are believed to be prioritizing experience this time. Since Bill Belichick‘s abrupt resignation in 2000, the Jets have primarily hired first-time head coaches; Adam Gase was the only exception during Johnson’s 24-year ownership tenure.

Woody Johnson, 77, leaving the team in 2017 left brother Christopher Johnson in place as acting owner. The less seasoned Jets leader led the Douglas and Saleh hires, firing Bowles in 2018 and GM Mike Maccagnan in 2019. Christopher Johnson is expected to play a role in the upcoming hires, with Jones adding Jets president Hymie Elhai will be part of the process as well. But this set of hires will feature Woody Johnson as the final decision-maker.

The prospect of Woody Johnson being the point man is also interesting due to the increased role he has taken on in recent months. Johnson has meddled in personnel matters significantly in 2024, with Jones indicating he has taken on a greater role as the year has progressed. The offseason involved Johnson impeding Douglas on a Bryce Huff offer while also nixing a trade for Jerry Jeudy. Johnson also appeared more resistant to a Haason Reddick extension than Douglas was, though the owner did step in — with Douglas effectively stripped of power — to finalize the agreement to bring him in.

Reports of a rift between Woody Johnson and Aaron Rodgers emerged as well. Johnson called for Rodgers’ benching after a Week 4 loss to the Broncos and may well have done so again at a different point in the season. While the future Hall of Fame quarterback — believed to be on his way out of New York — attempted to downplay those reports, it is clear Johnson has become a more prominent presence with regards to roster say than he has in the past. With Johnson potentially staying put, this will be a key component as the Jets attempt to hire HC and GMs. Mike Vrabel, who is viewed as an early frontrunner, will need to take potential Johnson input into consideration.

Ex-Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and ex-Vikings GM Rick Spielman are playing central roles in the Jets’ hiring process as well, being brought in by Woody Johnson to run the interview process. This has already brought GM interviews with Thomas Dimitroff and Jon Robinson. GM and HC candidates not tied to teams are free to interview now, but clubs conducting searches must wait until divisional-round week to meet with candidates who are on other staffs. As the Jets attempt to reverse course after their NFL-long playoff drought has reached 14 seasons, it seems Woody Johnson will see this process to the end this time.

Jets Attempted To Set Up Meeting Between Bill Belichick, Woody Johnson

December 16th, 2024 at 3:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Taking the job at North Carolina, Bill Belichick is now navigating college football’s transfer portal/NIL landscape that has caused so much instability within the sport. The Tar Heels are pitching to recruits and transfers the prospect of learning an NFL-style program, doing so after Belichick expressed considerable dissatisfaction with his standing within the league as a coaching free agent.

Rather than take another spin on the NFL’s HC carousel, Belichick accepted what amounts to a three-year, $30MM offer from the ACC school. An interesting buyout structure exists in Belichick’s North Carolina contract, dropping a payout from $10MM to $1MM after June 1, 2025. That would open the door to a potential NFL return.

While that buyout structure could conceivably affect players’ interest in coming to Chapel Hill, an NFL door is technically open. Though, Belichick’s age (73 in April) will offer a potential dealbreaker for teams looking to arrange longer-term plans. The 2026 HC carousel figures to produce Belichick rumors, depending on how his first Tar Heels season unfolds, but the 49-year NFL coach did contact at least one team about a 2025 job. Despite Belichick’s issues with the Jets, he reached out to Mike Tannenbaum — his coworker in Cleveland and with the Jets in the 1990s — about the job.

Running the Jets’ search, the former GM took this to the team, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes. This led to the Jets giving it consideration, to the point Breer adds the team attempted to set up a Belichick meeting with owner Woody Johnson. Belichick and Johnson have a frosty history, as it had been long reported the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC would not consider the Jets. Beyond Belichick’s 2000 resignation — which led to a trade agreement with the Patriots — along with the Jets being the team that triggered the NFL’s Spygate investigation (and eventual punishment) and Belichick recently criticizing Johnson’s ownership approach on the Manningcast, this effort reaching the stage it did is rather interesting.

Johnson has taken on an increased role in Jets personnel matters this year, impeding Joe Douglas on a potential Jerry Jeudy trade and Bryce Huff offer while later impacting the team’s situation with Haason Reddick. Belichick being open to working with the owner, who did not yet own the team when Belichick served as Bill Parcells‘ DC in the late 1990s, effectively speaks to his view of the Jets’ roster. The timelines did not matchup, however, as the Jets are at the beginning of what is expected to be a thorough search. With North Carolina needing an answer quickly, Belichick jumped and is skipping the 2025 HC carousel.

Belichick had done increased research on the evolving college game, which has changed significantly during the 2020s. He appears to be in the college ranks due to the control North Carolina has offered and a befuddlement at the NFL’s lack of interest. The league not showing more interest has “perplexed” the legendary coach’s inner circle, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes.

“I think there would’ve been some interest, but in the end, really, it’s not about what could’ve been or would’ve been, it’s about the opportunity at North Carolina,” Belichick said during an appearance on Sirius XM Radio’s Let’s Go! (video link). “I think this program is in the right spot now to take off.”

During his months-long media tour, Belichick and his agent did conduct backchannel communication with NFL owners to gauge interest, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. This occurred during the 2024 HC hiring period as well. Breer adds Belichick did not reach out to every team with a current HC vacancy, meaning either the Saints or Bears — potentially both — were not contacted. Belichick’s camp had viewed Chicago as an interesting destination but expects the NFC North team to hire an offense-oriented HC. At North Carolina, Belichick will oversee the football operation in a way he would not have been allowed to had he returned to the NFL.

The Jets are looking for a new HC-GM combination. Belichick had coached against numerous Jets power structures, working as the Patriots’ de facto GM. The NFL still has coaches operating with final say, but not many. Teams were skeptical Belichick would be able to cede power, even though he had attempted to convince Arthur Blank he was not asking for personnel power. He will have it at North Carolina and try to execute the Patriot Way, or a modified version of it, there in 2025.

Jets Sticking With Aaron Rodgers; Woody Johnson Wanted QB Benched On Multiple Occasions?

December 2nd, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

In the final stage of a wildly disappointing season, the Jets have dropped to 3-9. They have not seen their Aaron Rodgers trade come close to meeting expectations, and the now-41-year-old quarterback is not believed to be in the team’s plans beyond this season.

It would then be understandable if the sides reached a resolution of sorts, as Rodgers has played through injuries separate from his Achilles — an injury that defined his 2023 season — for much of this year. An IR placement or outright benching emerged as a potential solution here, but interim HC Jeff Ulbrich pushed back on that coming out of a bye week. After a loss to the Seahawks, the Jets are not changing course.

Ulbrich announced Monday (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) that Rodgers will remain the team’s starter for its Week 14 game — and for the season’s remainder. Ulbrich was less definitive when asked about his starter following the Jets’ Week 13 loss but returned to form today by indicating Rodgers can still play at a “high level.” The interim boss also indicated Rodgers’ decorated resume is part of the conversation here.

Rodgers said in mid-November he wanted to keep playing beyond 2024, comments in line with his previous New York-era stances, but walked that back last week by noting he was not yet sure. The increasingly outspoken QB also said he wanted to play for Ulbrich in New York again next season, though he stopped short (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) of ruling out playing for another coach in 2025. Considering how poorly the Jets have fared, Ulbrich has next to no chance of returning as their HC. The team has already brought in The33rdteam.com’s Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman to run the upcoming searches, one that will undoubtedly tab outside HC and GM hires.

This is potentially the least amount of leverage Rodgers has held in his NFL career. After being given considerable power upon being traded to New York, Rodgers has not shown much of his MVP-level form. That continued Sunday, when the 20th-year veteran missed a wide-open Garrett Wilson for a score and then threw a pick-six to Leonard Williams on the ensuing play. Likely on his way out after two Jets seasons, Rodgers profiles as a lame duck.

The Jets appear prepared to eat the second-most dead money for a single player in NFL history ($49MM) next year to start fresh. For what it’s worth, Ulbrich attributes (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) much of Rodgers’ struggles this season to the injuries he has sustained. Rodgers has battled hamstring, knee and ankle maladies this season. Though, he was off Gang Green’s injury report in Week 13.

Rodgers’ Achilles tear and spate of nagging issues this season will naturally affect his chances of playing in 2025. Interest may well emerge for a diminished version of the four-time MVP, but a free agency foray is highly unlikely to approach the level of interest Tom Brady did when he hit the market ahead of an age-43 season in 2020. That and maybe Warren Moon‘s 1997 free agency bid (when the former Oilers and Vikings starter joined the Seahawks before his age-41 campaign) are about the only parallels to what a Rodgers FA effort may look like.

As for this season, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds Woody Johnson may not have confined his calls for a Rodgers benching to merely the post-Week 4 effort. Johnson making another push for the high-priced passer to be benched for Tyrod Taylor would obviously be notable, as it certainly increases the likelihood Rodgers is off the Jets’ roster next year. It also could point to ownership again intervening at QB late this season.

Although a recent report attempted to pour cold water on the drama between Johnson and Rodgers, the 77-year-old owner has taken considerable heat for impeding former GM Joe Douglas during the final year of his run. Johnson’s outsized role figures to be a key topic when interviews for the Jets’ GM and HC positions begin.

Jets Expected To Target Experience In GM, HC Searches

November 24th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Since Bill Parcells stepped down nearly 25 years ago, the Jets have leaned toward first-time head coaches. Woody Johnson‘s ownership tenure has featured seven HC hires; only one has been a retread. As they navigate another disappointing season and the slew of negative press that has come with it, the Jets look to be aiming in different direction.

Gang Green wants experience at both the HC and GM spots, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Although second-chance GMs are not overly common in today’s NFL (only two — Tom Telesco, Trent Baalke — are currently in place), retread HCs are.

Thus far in Johnson’s tenure, only one (Adam Gase) signed on to be the Jets’ HC. And that came while Christopher Johnson was serving as acting owner. One experienced HC candidate, however, has thrown his hat in the ring already. Eager to return to the league, ESPN’s Rex Ryan — the Jets’ HC from 2009-14 — wants to return to the Jets. Ryan has not coached since the Bills fired him late in his second season.

With Woody Johnson still mentioned as returning to his role as ambassador to the United Kingdom during the second Donald Trump administration, Christopher may need to play a central role in another hire. Christopher was in charge when the Jets hired Gase (2019) and Robert Saleh (2021), but Woody will lead the searches now. The Jets want to launch their GM search now, per Jones, though they cannot interview any HC or GM candidates currently on NFL staffs until the regular season ends. For the most part, that will stall searches.

Although Jones adds the Jets are likely to have an advisor helping steer these hires without going as far as using a search firm, the obvious question of HC/GM aspirants’ willingness to work for the franchise comes up. Woody Johnson impeded since-fired GM Joe Douglas at many stops. He was believed to have blocked a substantial effort to add a quarterback following Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear last year; a year later, the owner suggested Saleh’s staff bench the four-time MVP after Week 4. Johnson also stonewalled Douglas on a Jerry Jeudy trade and meddled on the Bryce Huff and Haason Reddick contract fronts.

This has not been a good year for Johnson, whose team will undoubtedly extend the longest active NFL playoff drought to 14 seasons soon. A habit of listening to non-football staffers has added to Johnson’s list of shortcomings, and Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline adds the 77-year-old owner is not well regarded in most aspects around the league. The consensus in the aftermath of the Douglas ouster has been for the criticized owner to hire a presence to check his meddling, but staffers around the NFL do not expect Jets ownership to cede that much power.

As Douglas had expressed a disenchantment with Johnson for years, per Pauline, the Jets may need to dole out a higher salary to replace their six-year GM. The team is believed to be prepared to pay well, Jones adds, but it certainly would surprise if this job was at the top of most candidates’ lists. Rodgers boosting the Jets to a worse draft pick would also hinder the next set of Jet decision-makers, though it is now viewed as likely the team sits its high-profile QB — via IR or a straight-up benching — soon ahead of an expected 2025 divorce.

Woody Johnson’s anticipated departure for an ambassador post would stand to help mitigate the meddling issues that have resurfaced in recent days, but Christopher Johnson is not exactly a highly regarded football presence, either. The Jets will be tasked with adding another quarterback to lead what is still viewed as a talented roster.

The latter component will be a top selling point for the Johnsons, who have failed on the QB front with both veterans (Rodgers, Brett Favre) and with every rookie prospect — save for some early-career Mark Sanchez work — since Chad Pennington. After a wildly disappointing season, how Jets ownership goes about convincing quality HC and GM candidates to sign up will be one of the offseason carousels’ top storylines.

Aaron Rodgers-Woody Johnson Drama ‘Overblown’

November 24th, 2024 at 6:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Jets owner Woody Johnson‘s decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas in back-to-back months has painted a picture of a dysfunctional franchise rife with drama in the front office and the locker room.

However, reports of tension between Johnson and Aaron Rodgers are “overblown,” according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, despite a recent bombshell that Johnson suggested benching his star quarterback earlier this season. The two have remained in communication throughout the recent turmoil with both men disappointed in the team’s performance thus far this season.

After losing all of the 2023 season due to an Achilles tear, Rodgers has struggled to stay fully healthy this year, landing on the injury report several times due to issues with his hamstring, knee, and ankle. The mercurial quarterback has still started every game this season, playing 98% of the Jets’ offensive snaps to date.

However, it remains unclear exactly how banged up Rodgers is. He has refused medical scans on his leg injuries to avoid revealing their severity so he can keep playing, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. His September 29 hamstring injury “was believed to be a particularly significant one,” but the 40-year-old insisted that it was not significant and refused to consider taking a game off to recover. A stint on injured reserve has been floated as a way to force Rodgers to heal from his injuries while allowing him to save face publicly.

Rodgers’ injury struggles in New York – which have led to one of the worst statistical seasons of his career – have stirred doubt about his future as a Jet. As recently as November 14, Rodgers has confirmed his desire to play in 2025, though he was noncommittal about returning to the Jets for a third season. He reportedly desires a more stable situation, which has not been applicable to the Jets for several years. However, it is fair to wonder how much Rodgers contributed to the Jets’ instability over the past two years, between the arduous process for his acquisition, his subsequent influence over team personnel decisions, and his struggles to remain healthy.

Most signs are pointing to a mutual parting of ways after this season, with league executives predicting that the Jets will designated Rodgers as a post-June 1 release during the offseason, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. The team’s new head coach and/or general manager may prefer to move on from Rodgers and look for a new quarterback around whom they can rebuild. Rodgers would then be a 41-year-old free agent coming off the worst two-year stretch of his career and may not draw as much interest compared to when he wanted to leave Green Bay.

Aaron Rodgers Benching Or IR Stint ‘Appears Increasingly Likely’

November 23rd, 2024 at 10:19pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets are expected to move on from Aaron Rodgers ahead of the 2025 campaign. However, there’s a chance the quarterback doesn’t even stick on the active roster through the end of the 2024 season.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes that the team is considering multiple options regarding Rodgers’ roster status. While no decision has been made, Russini says it “appears increasingly likely” that the quarterback could be benched for the stretch run of the season. The Jets could also help Rodgers save face by placing the veteran on injured reserve. After suffering his season-ending Achilles tear in 2023, the 40-year-old has dealt with hamstring, knee, and ankle injuries this season, so an IR stint wouldn’t be completely unfounded.

There are even some around the NFL who wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets simply cut Rodgers before the end of the 2024 season. The financial implications of such a move would make this route unlikely. In addition to his untenable (albeit prorated) $66MM dead cap hit for 2024, the Jets would also be hit with a $25.5MM charge for the 2025 campaign. If the Jets were to designate Rodgers as a post-June 1 cut, then the front office could actually realize some savings (around $9.5MM of cap relief). While a divorce seems inevitable, there’s really no benefit to the Jets being hasty and moving on now.

The Jets’ disappointing 2024 campaign has naturally led to both sides seeking fresh starts. It also sounds like the broken relationship between Rodgers and owner Woody Johnson may also be playing a role. We heard earlier this week that Johnson suggested benching the franchise star earlier this season, and Russini says the owner has “lost confidence” in Rodgers’ ability to guide the franchise to the postseason. On the other side, Rodgers’ relationship with Johnson has been “strained for months,” and while the quarterback intends to play in 2025, he isn’t enthusiastic about returning to the Jets.

If the Jets do bench Rodgers for the final chunk of games in 2024, then Tyrod Taylor would be the logical fill-in for the organization. What isn’t so clear is who would replace Rodgers in 2025. Russini points to Russell Wilson or a reunion with Sam Darnold, although the reporter is skeptical that either QB will leave their current situation. Russini also notes that Justin Fields, Daniel Jones, and previous target Derek Carr will likely be available, but none of those options provide much hope for contention.

Woody Johnson Nixed Jets Effort To Acquire Jerry Jeudy, Impeded Joe Douglas On Bryce Huff, Haason Reddick

November 20th, 2024 at 10:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets are barreling toward their 14th straight season wrapping without a playoff berth, and their Robert Saleh-Joe Douglas regime’s unraveling points to ownership having a more difficult time filling its HC and GM positions come 2025.

Woody Johnson‘s meddling has become an issue for the Jets. The longtime owner admitted he went around Douglas to fire Saleh, something that led to the sixth-year GM losing power during his final weeks on the job. Other Jets power brokers led the way in the Davante Adams trade and Haason Reddick resolution talks. Earlier this year, however, Johnson stood as a roadblock to Douglas’ efforts to improve the team’s roster in other ways.

We heard in March the Jets joined the Browns and Patriots in pursuing Jerry Jeudy. The then-Broncos wide receiver, a trade-block staple alongside ex-teammate Courtland Sutton, went to Cleveland for fifth- and sixth-round picks. Denver may well have obtained more for the former first-round pick had Douglas gotten his way.

The Jets are believed to have offered a Day 2 pick and Allen Lazard — a 2023 Broncos target — for Jeudy, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Zack Rosenblatt, only to see Johnson nix any potential deal. Jeudy going into his age-25 season intrigued the Jets, who aimed to avoid aging players in this year’s free agency (subscription required). That did not end up happening, as Tyron Smith and Mike Williams joined trade pickup Morgan Moses in joining the Jets in March.

It would have been interesting if the Broncos were willing to acquire Lazard, who was still owed a fully guaranteed base salary ($10MM) this year. Lazard underwhelmed after receiving $22MM guaranteed at signing in 2023. Denver did end up giving Josh Reynolds a two-year, $9MM deal; Lazard would have been costlier. Jeudy, who would have joined Garrett Wilson and potentially affected the Jets’ interest in Adams, has since signed a Browns extension.

Weeks later, Douglas signed off on acquiring Reddick despite warnings from his camp the Jets should not trade for the talented edge rusher unless they wanted to extend him. As it turns out, Douglas appeared more open to an extension than he initially let on. Reddick had expressed frustration with the Jets, believing they would revisit extension talks. Douglas may well have been onboard here, per The Athletic, which attributes the resistance to extending the then-29-year-old EDGE to Johnson. Even as Johnson helped bring Reddick into the fold in October, he certainly looks to have prevented his then-GM from extending him this offseason.

Before the Jets zeroed in on Reddick, they let Bryce Huff walk. Huff joined the Eagles on a three-year, $51MM deal, but if Douglas had his way, the team may have made a stronger effort to re-sign the team’s 2023 sack leader. Johnson is believed to have blocked his GM from making an extension offer to Huff, whom many teams pursued once the Jets let him hit the market. We heard in early February no offer had come. This came months after Johnson is believed to have restricted his GM from making a stronger effort to replace Aaron Rodgers once the QB suffered an Achilles tear.

Johnson also drove an effort to have safety Tony Adams benched in Week 11, with Russini and Rosenblatt reinforcing the notion the owner has placed too much stock in social media assessments of his team. Rumblings recently pointed to Johnson listening to too many non-football staffers in making decisions. This offseason also featured multiple high-ranking Jets football ops staffers dismissed, with assistant GM Rex Hogan being fired and then player personnel director Chad Alexander becoming the Chargers’ assistant GM. Johnson prevented Douglas from replacing either staffer, Russini and Rosenblatt add. (For what it’s worth, some in the organization believed Hogan had been responsible for many leaks; though, a flood of leaks have come out in the months since.) The owner’s actions led Douglas to tell some remaining Jets staffers Johnson “should just fire me now.”

Also believed to have pushed for the Jets to bench Rodgers after the team’s Week 4 loss to the Broncos — to the point one coach, per The Athletic, asked if the owner was serious — Johnson will have a lot to answer for after this wildly disappointing Jets season.

The Jets are expected to part with Rodgers, whom coaches feared would be embarrassed had Johnson gotten his way with the benching request. After all, Johnson played a key role in Rodgers agreeing to put off retirement and agree to a Jets trade last year. Sitting him for Tyrod Taylor so early in his Achilles comeback would have been one of the more shocking developments in recent NFL history.

This increased meddling will not make it easier for the owner to find quality GM and HC options in 2025, but even as the former ambassador to the United Kingdom is in the mix to reclaim that post under the second Donald Trump administration (a move that would again leave Christopher Johnson as acting owner), Woody Johnson is set to lead the Jets’ searches to replace Saleh and Douglas.

Joe Douglas Fallout: Jets, Johnson, Rodgers, Saleh, Brown, Ravens

November 19th, 2024 at 8:50pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jets’ firing of general manager Joe Douglas was not necessarily a surprise given the team’s struggles during his tenure, but Tuesday’s announcement still felt unusual with six games remaining in the season. Douglas’ contract was set to expire after the 2025 season, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, giving New York a natural transition point as they attempt to rebuild from a disastrous two years since trading for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

However, Jets owner Woody Johnson grew impatient after his team dropped to 3-8 after giving up a fourth-quarter lead to the Colts in Week 11. Rather than wait until the offseason to find his next general manager, Johnson opted to fire Douglas so he could begin the search for a successor without any internal awkwardness, according to Cimini.

Johnson’s statement announcing Douglas’ departure included a note that the team “will begin the process to identify a new General Manager immediately,” though the Jets cannot interview any external candidates until the end of the regular season. Here is the latest coming out of the Jets’ GM firing:

Douglas’ days were clearly numbered when he was cut out of Johnson’s decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh in October. The fact that Douglas lasted more than a month longer than Saleh surprised some in New York, per Cimini. Since the team was openly pursuing Davante Adams while trying to resolve Haason Reddick‘s holdout, the Jets may have wanted to keep Douglas around for appearance’s sake until those moves were finalized.
However, Douglas “lost most of his authority” after Saleh’s firing, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, with other Jets executives handling negotiations with the Raiders and Reddick, both of which had stalled under Douglas. Since stepping back from his duties, Douglas “had become disenchanted in recent weeks,” per Cimini, “hoping a miracle turnaround might change things.”
Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown could be a candidate to become the Jets’ next general manager, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. Brown interviewed for the Raiders’ GM gig during the offseason and turned down a request from the Patriots to interview for the same position. However, Johnson has largely listened to “nonfootball yes men” as the Jets’ owner, with outside criticism driving too much of the team’s direction, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Johnson ponied up a six-year, $20MM contract to secure Douglas to lead the front office in 2019, but money will only go so far to lure a would-be general manager who wants to execute his own vision for the franchise’s future.
Johnson even suggested benching Rodgers after a 10-9 loss to the Broncos in Week 4, per Zach Rosenblatt and Diana Russini of The Athletic. Douglas and the coaching staff had to convince Johnson to stay the course with Rodgers to avoid embarrassing the mercurial quarterback and upsetting the locker room.
Douglas’ next career move could be returning to Baltimore, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. He began his front office career as a Ravens scout in 2000 and remained in the team’s personnel department until the Bears hired him as director of college scouting in 2015. Douglas still enjoys a solid reputation in Baltimore, and he drafted several excellent young players in New York, including Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner, Jermaine Johnson, Breece Hall, and Michael Clemons all in 2022.
With their owner cleaning house and questions circling around Rodgers’ future in New York, the Jets’ locker room has “checked out,” according to SNY’s Connor Hughes. “Players aren’t angry or annoyed at their 3-8 record. They’re, as one person described, “just ready for it to be over.”

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