Sportsnaut
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson finally admits something fans have known for a very long time — he’s not a good owner.
Johnson made the startling admission to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
“Well, I’m obviously not a good owner in terms of winning,” Johnson said when asked what made him a good owner. “I think the players can relate to me in some ways, even though I don’t have their background. I have a certain amount of empathy, I think, that they can feel. I can’t be them. I don’t have their background. I didn’t grow up in their neighborhood. There’s no way I can completely understand what they went through and their life. But I think they know that I’m an understanding person. I’m willing to listen to anybody to tell me anything they want to tell me. I’m willing to listen to their ideas, too.”
Since Johnson became owner in 2000, the Jets have gone 173-238 in his 26 seasons, making the playoffs just six times. Gang Green hasn’t had a winning season since 2015 and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010. Overall, Johnson has just nine winning seasons.
The 2025 campaign has been more of the same following two seasons of the Aaron Rodgers disaster. The Jets are 0-7 under new general manager Darren Mougey, head coach Aaron Glenn and quarterback Justin Fields. Johnson threw Fields under the bus earlier this week, pinning the Jets’ poor start on the quarterback’s shoulders.
While speaking to Russini, Johnson didn’t back off those comments.
“To play complementary football, you have to pass and you have to run,” Johnson said. “It’s not very complicated. And if you can’t do one, the defense can come in and play you differently. I mean, they load the box, they put 11 guys in the box and rush everybody. (Fields) was sacked (a lot) because they knew he wasn’t going to pass. When they know it, that’s the way it is. It’s not brain surgery.”
The Jets had planned to bench Fields after their 13-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers, turning to veteran Tyrod Taylor. But Taylor was ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals with a knee injury, forcing the Jets to stick with Fields for another week.
Fields signed a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed after going 4-2 in six starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. This season, he has completed 63.7% of his passes for 845 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions but has been sacked 22 times.
The Jets are 6.5-point road underdogs against the Cincinnati Bengals.
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