Total Pro Sports
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson now holds a lucrative minority stake in a historic English football team.
On Monday morning, Crystal Palace F.C. of the Premier League announced that Woody Johnson has purchased a minority stake from John Textor, the chairman and majority owner of Eagle Football Holdings.
Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Johnson is paying £190 million ($254 million USD) for Textor’s 43-percent stake in the football team. Washington Commanders and Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris, American investor David Blitzer and English businessman Steve Parish each hold 10-percent stakes, with the latter serving as the Crystal Palace F.C. chairman.
Crystal Palace F.C. noted that the Premier League and Women’s Super League must approve of the sale, but they “do not envisage any issues.”
We can confirm that Robert Wood Johnson “Woody” has signed a legally binding contract to purchase Eagle Football’s holding in the club.
Full club statement ⤵️#CPFC
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) June 23, 2025
Woody Johnson will join the small club of current NFL team owners who also own a soccer team when that sale is finalized. Shad Khan of the Jacksonville Jaguars also owns Fulham F.C. of the Premier League.
Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons) and Stan Kroenke (Los Angeles Rams) own Atlanta United FC and the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer, respectively. Clark Hunt inherited the Kansas City Chiefs and FC Dallas of MLS following the passing of his father, Lamar Hunt, in Dec. 2006.
The 78-year-old Johnson has been the owner of the New York Jets since 2000.
Following the disappointing and short-lived Aaron Rodgers era, Johnson (again) made sweeping changes in the organization. Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn were brought in as the new GM and head coach, respectively, and decided to cut both Rodgers and All-Pro wideout Davante Adams.
The Jets own football’s longest postseason drought, having last qualified in 2010. Johnson has been regarded as one of the worst owners in football during the 14 years of mediocrity, but we’ll see if the drastic changes lead to new fortunes in 2025.
