The New York Jets' tumultuous year took another turn on Thursday.
It wasn't another firing or trade, but a report from The Athletic detailed the dysfunction inside the organization over the past year. There were a number of shocking reports in the article, but one in particular stood out.
According to Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver, team owner Woody Johnson vetoed a trade for then-Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy because of his "Madden" rating. Here's the reported story:
"The New York Jets’ owner was at his house in Palm Beach, Fla., last February, discussing potential offseason acquisitions with team decision-makers as they watched game tape. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, a former Denver Broncos first-round pick, flashed on the screen. Jets general manager Joe Douglas expressed interest, according to someone familiar with the meeting. Johnson took out his phone and started typing.
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"A few weeks later, Douglas and his Broncos counterpart, George Paton, were deep in negotiations for a trade that would have sent Jeudy to the Jets and given future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers another potential playmaker. The Broncos felt a deal was near. Then, abruptly, it all fell apart. In Denver’s executive offices, they couldn’t believe the reason why.
"Douglas told the Broncos that Johnson didn’t want to make the trade because the owner felt Jeudy’s player rating in 'Madden NFL,' the popular video game, wasn’t high enough, according to multiple league sources. The Broncos ultimately traded the receiver to the Cleveland Browns. Last Sunday, Jeudy crossed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the first time in his career."
A deal for Jeudy likely wouldn't have saved the Jets' season, but the story reiterates the structure of the organization that hasn't made the postseason since 2010 -- the longest drought in professional sports.
NFL
The Jets eventually traded for Davante Adams as part of a series of in-season moves orchestrated by Johnson, including firing head coach Robert Saleh after five games and later parting ways with Douglas.
Here are some of the other reports from Rosenblatt, Russini and Silver's article:
- “When we’re discussing things, you’ll hear Woody cite something that (his teenage sons) Brick or Jack read online that’s being weighed equally against whatever opinion someone else in the department has,” one Jets executive told The Athletic.
- Before the 2024 season, Douglas reportedly told close friends: "I answer to a teenager," referencing Johnson's sons.
- Johnson reportedly allows his sons and their friends access to the team locker room, where only players, coaches and other team personnel are typically allowed. The sons reportedly have been heard bad-mouthing Jets players in the locker room after games.
- When the Jets traded Zach Wilson to the Broncos last April, Denver asked for the No. 257 overall pick. Johnson instructed Douglas to instead trade the No. 256 overall pick so the Jets could select "Mr. Irrelevant," the final pick of the draft.
The Jets, now 4-10, will finish their season with games against the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins before a critical offseason.
