The New York Jets owner, Woody Johnson, has been under a microscope as his team struggles to succeed. Since he purchased the team in 2000, his Jets have had a disappointing 172-229 record. Cycling through six different general managers in that span, analysts and fans alike have pointed toward Johnson as a source of the team’s problems.
As more information leaks from the Jets front office, it has been discovered that unqualified voices have a surprising amount of influence in decision-making. On various occasions, it has been revealed that Johnson’s teenage sons may be pulling strings behind the curtain.
Woody Johnson’s Reliance on Madden Ratings
The New York Jets’ failure to acquire Jerry Jeudy last offseason remains one of the strongest reminders of how the team has built a reputation for making unconventional decisions-often headscratchers-under owner Woody Johnson. A would-be deal with the Denver Broncos was reportedly scuttled when Johnson harbored concerns over Jeudy’s “Madden NFL” rating, a popular video game metric. According to a source, former Jets general manager Joe Douglas told Denver that after deep negotiations, Johnson was getting cold feet, thus killing a trade that could have prepared Aaron Rodgers more prepared from the season’s outset.
This bizarre reliance on video game metrics exemplifies how much influence Johnson’s teenage sons, Brick and Jack, have within the organization. Brick, 18, a Harvard freshman, and his younger brother, Jack, are said to have an outsized decision-making role, often interjecting during key deliberations. Sources close to the Jets’ front office say he often cites his sons’ insights as heavily as he does professional scouting reports, a source of tension among seasoned executives.
That fact is only underscored by Jeudy’s breakout season with the Cleveland Browns, in which he topped 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. Eventually adding Davante Adams, the team still struggled offensively, illustrating how costly the mistake was in opting to focus on video game ratings over professional evaluations. For a franchise desperate for stability, this mistake has been symbolic of the challenges of trying to merge some very unconventional influences into football operations.
Woody Johnson’s Sons Affecting Culture in the Jets Building
The Jeudy incident is not a singular example of the Johnson sons’ growing influence inside the NY Jets‘ organization. According to reports, Brick and Jack’s input is a regular feature of major decisions, with their father considering social media and fan blogs they read. One former Jets executive described meetings in which opinions from the sons were given a weight equal to expert evaluations, undermining trust among veteran staff members and creating a fractured leadership dynamic.
This lack of professional qualifications in their influence has fostered an increasingly dysfunctional culture. During a postgame locker room celebration, Brick abruptly cut off Rodgers’ attempt to give a game ball to interim coach Jeff Ulbrich and instead handed it to wide receiver Garrett Wilson. The unsanctioned gesture, later posted to social media, deflated what should have been a moment of unity and recognition for a struggling team.
Beyond the game ball incident, reports that he leans on his sons for major decisions-scrapping a trade for Jeudy or signing a free agent because of his low “awareness” rating in Madden-paint the picture of an incredibly flawed operational structure. The NFL is a place for innovation, but this has extended to ceding substantial influence to unqualified voices, one major factor behind the Jets’ current state, which extended their drought without a playoff berth to 14 straight seasons.
Final Thoughts
This points out a serious problem: the Jets rely on some very unusual influences, especially the input of Woody Johnson’s teenage sons. While family involvement may not be a problem, prioritizing those opinions without professional football knowledge over organizational cohesion and decision-making is detrimental to such a process. If the Jets are to break their cycle of mediocrity, they must develop a more defined hierarchy that values experience in constructing their future.
