Former NFL MVP believes billionaire Woody Johnson has made Jets HC vacancy "impossible" to fill
Woody Johnson's New York Jets haven't been to the playoffs since 2010 and many high schoolers were not yet born when they last made it. Once again, the Jets are gearing up for a reset that may or may not include Aaron Rodgers in 2025. However, while their quarterback situation still has a chance to at least resemble the 2024 room, their coaching staff will have a complete overhaul.
With many teams set to look for candidates, the Jets have to sell the best coaching options for joining them. However, they might also need to sell the less desirable options. At least, that is what one former NFL MVP thinks.
According to Audacy, Boomer Esiason claimed that such an act might be "impossible," referencing the bombshell report by The Athletic published on Thursday.
“It basically paints a picture of a guy who is impulsive and has no idea what he’s doing," Esiason said on Friday, via 'Boomer & Gio.' " ... And has created an environment that is almost impossible to succeed in. ... If it is accurate, that makes it a really difficult situation for a lot of people on this staff. It just makes it impossible.”
The optics of firing Robert Saleh with just a 2-3 record in Week 5 might set expectations for a tenure that is, in the words of philosopher Thomas Hobbes: nasty, brutish and short.
Bombshell report outlines Woody Johnson's role in Jets' freefall
The Athletic's report compiled various behind-the-scenes stories from NFL insiders Dianna Russini, Zach Rosenblatt and Michael Silver. The report listed multiple stories about Woody Johnson, including when he told an injured quarterback in 2022 that he "sucked."
Another big story gaining traction is that the owner decided to skip on a trade for Jerry Jeudy based on his Madden rating. The Denver Broncos were looking to offload the wide receiver and the Jets were one team that seemed to be a fit.
However, the trade never worked out. New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas and Broncos GM George Paton were allegedly "deep" in talks about the trade before Johnson shut it down.
Jeudy ended up in Denver, where he ranks in the top five in the NFL in receiving yards this season.