Jimmy Johnson has been where the New York Jets currently are. As the former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Johnson orchestrated the trade of Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in 1989, part of his 1-15 debut season with the Dallas Cowboys.

It’s widely considered one of the most lopsided trades of all time, even if many writers in Dallas didn’t see it that way at the time. The Cowboys ultimately acquired three first-round picks, three second-round picks, and a third-round pick.

It was the deal that sparked the 90s dynasty in Dallas.

With that experience, Johnson is uniquely qualified to comment on a New York Jets team that finds itself in a similar situation.

Jimmy Johnson’s message to Jets

Speaking to ESPN’s Rich Cimini ahead of the 2026 draft, the Hall-of-Fame coach had a message for Jets fans and the organization itself:

Just because you have a lot of draft picks, it doesn’t mean you’ll magically come out on top.

“It’s like the old saying: Money coming from gambling easily disappears,” Johnson said. “Money from hard work continually grows. So you can’t be risky with those picks just because you’ve got extra.”

In moves similar to that of the Walker trade in ’89, the Jets added three first-round picks, a second-round pick, and players in exchange for All-Pro talents Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner. Much like Dallas at the time, New York was going nowhere and felt that strengthening their future through the draft was the best way to fix their long-term troubles.

The Cowboys used their bevy of picks to draft players like Darren Woodson and the NFL’s all-time leading rusher in Emmitt Smith. The Jets hope that their haul of picks can yield similar results.

Johnson remains the most recent NFL head coach from a defensive background to start 0-6 or worse with a new team and eventually lead that franchise to the playoffs. The Jets’ current head coach, Aaron Glenn, hopes to join him.

But as Johnson highlighted with his comments, a turnaround won’t happen if the team doesn’t nail its draft picks. Simply owning those picks isn’t enough.

Jets draft profile

New York understands the pressure on them going into the draft. Armed with four picks in the top 50 overall slots, the Jets must be able to hit on each of those picks, even when additional picks in 2027 are brought into the conversation.

“We’re going to be better [in 2026], and having three ones [in 2027] gives us a lot of flexibility in the future,” general manager Darren Mougey said. “So I’m excited about the three ones in 2027, but really excited about the draft capital that we have this year, too.”

Much like the 1990 Cowboys, the Jets have a bevy of needs to deal with. They still don’t have a long-term answer at quarterback, as well as key issues at wide receiver, edge rusher, and cornerback.

All of those needs can be addressed in the draft. The focus for New York has to be finding those players who can step in right away and make a positive impact. It’s something that has eluded the organization for years.

That is why Johnson’s parting words to the Jets must be the focus going forward:

“The key is not getting the picks,” Johnson said. “The key is picking the right players.”