If you’re an angry New York Jets fan looking for a scapegoat, you don’t need a proxy for your ire: Woody Johnson is the culprit.
Jets fans have chanted “sell the team” since halftime against the Houston Texans.
And how could anybody get on them for such chants?
The Athletic’s recent bombshell article about Joe Douglas’ firing was so astonishing, so utterly damning, that it completely wiped out any other narrative surrounding the team. Any dysfunction surrounding Aaron Rodgers pales in comparison.
Visit our New York Jets News page to stay updated on the latest happenings.
An owner who so completely sidelines his general manager as to veto the most common sense moves the GM wants to make?
An owner who self-congratulates for the roster he built?
An owner who fires the head coach the GM was allowed to hire without consulting with that GM?
An owner who insists on coughing up far more than market value for aging, injured players — just when the coach and GM had decided to shy away from repeating that mistake?
Yes, this report most likely came straight from the mouth of somebody closely tied to Joe Douglas’s circle. No, an embittered ex-employee is not a great place to get accurate information.
But does it matter?
Jets fans were already chanting “sell the team,” recognizing the likely source of the dysfunction. Does it matter exactly to what extent those suspicions were confirmed? Maybe the Haason Reddick situation is misrepresented somewhat from Douglas’ perspective or Douglas minimized his involvement in pursuing Tyron Smith and Mike Williams.
So what? We have arrived at the point: No matter who the general manager is, Woody Johnson runs this team — and he’s going to insist on doing things his way no matter what, whether it’s in the best interests of the team or not.
Football has been described as a thinking man’s sport. It requires long-term planning and execution. It is clear that Johnson does not think so, as he has made impulsive move after impulsive move this season, starting with “suggesting” that Aaron Rodgers be benched, followed by firing Robert Saleh and now firing Joe Douglas.
There is no plan here. There is no calculation. It is just frustration and a perception of his “self-built” roster being wasted that has prompted Johnson to make these moves.
Any general manager candidate will get the message loudly and clearly: no matter what Johnson promises, he is the general manager of the team. The candidate is merely the lackey to take the blame when things go wrong. Even if the candidate is allowed to hire the head coach and the head coach ostensibly reports to the general manager, Johnson can swoop in and fire the head coach without consulting with the general manager.
When the general manager wants to learn from his previous mistakes, the owner can insist that he perpetuate them. When the general manager wants to make prudent moves to improve or maintain the roster, the owner can and will veto them.
Obviously, every NFL executive or coach at any level knows this is true to some extent. Owners can do what they want with their teams. But across sports, when teams are run well, it’s usually for one of two reasons: Either owners hire the right executives/coaches and mostly leave them alone, or the owners meddle but know football. More often than not, decisions that work come from the former setup.
Neither applies to Woody Johnson. He very clearly does not leave his executives alone, and he very clearly does not know football.
The extent of his meddling, though, will repel any general manager of sane mind. To paraphrase Groucho Marx, the Jets (and their fans) should be suspicious of any general manager who would be willing to take the job given this environment.
On a team that has clearly lacked leadership, it is evident that the lack of leadership begins at the top. But it won’t change as long as Woody Johnson continues down this path.
Yes, there are those within the organization who expect Johnson to reprise his role as the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom. This would take him away from the team’s day-to-day activities and re-install his brother Christopher, who initially hired Douglas and seemingly meddled less.
But just as last time, Johnson’s ambassadorship has a shelf life. Even if he does take the role again, he’ll return in four years — and get his hands dirty once more. He seems incapable of leaving football operations to his football operators.
If Mr. Johnson is so sensitive to what Jets fans say on social media, he should read this one loudly and clearly. Jets fans do not want their team to be a laughingstock for eternity. They do not want anyone to want to be their general manager or head coach.
They do not want an owner with no impulse control and an inability to stay in his lane.
Jets fans have told Mr. Johnson what they want: they want him to sell the team. In terms of what the general fan believes, that is the only way to turn around this organization.
Johnson will need to take a hard look in the mirror and answer these questions. Why are Jets fans calling to sell the team? Why has the team failed for so long? Would he want to come to the Jets if he were a general manager or head coaching candidate? What must he do to attract the kind of talent he seeks?
Jets X-Factor’s Robby Sabo already answered that last question. Just as then-owner Leon Hess publicly and verbally stepped aside to let Bill Parcells run the show in 1997, Johnson must tell not only candidates but the world that he is willing to step aside and let his hires due their jobs without interference.
The Jets have retained The 33rd Team for help in their search for their new leaders. That in and of itself is suspect to an extent, showing a lack of self-awareness (considering the state of the Jets when Mike Tannenbaum was fired and many of his public comments since then).
At this point, the ball is in Johnson’s court. The Jets have a chance for a clean slate like never before. Making the most of it will start with the owner doing his true job — to hire the right people and listen to them.
