Jets Owner Woody Johnson Vows to Improve Leadership After Disappointing 2024 Season
After a disappointing 5-12 campaign in 2024, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is determined to turn things around in 2025 and take a more hands-off approach, acknowledging that he needs to grow as an owner.
“Absolutely, I have to look in the mirror, and I have to be a better owner,” Johnson said Monday following the announcement of new head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. “And I’m trying to be better.”
Johnson, 77, became more involved than ever last season. For the first time in his 25 years of ownership, he dismissed head coach Robert Saleh midway through the season, just 5 games into his fourth year. Six weeks later, Johnson made the decision to part ways with general manager Joe Douglas as well. The mid-season coaching changes didn’t lead to the desired results, as the Jets finished the season with a 3-9 record under interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.
Frustration with the team’s performance led Johnson to have a more direct role in personnel decisions, a move that sources claim caused tension within the front office and coaching staff. When asked if he planned to take a step back in 2025, Johnson responded with defensiveness, referencing a report from The Athletic that described dysfunction within the organization.
“You don’t believe those reports, do you?” Johnson shot back with a chuckle. “It was a lot of exaggeration and hyperbole, it really was. You really have to take all that stuff with a grain of salt because nobody knows how much I was involved.”
Despite his pushback, Johnson made it clear that he expects Glenn and Mougey to be the true leaders of the team, with him taking a step back to focus on his role as owner. “Yes, I want Aaron Glenn to coach the team. I want the general manager to manage the assets and the players, and I’ll take the owner’s position,” he said.
During Johnson’s first 11 years as owner, the Jets made the playoffs six times. However, the franchise has now endured a 14-year playoff drought, the longest in North American sports.
Johnson acknowledged the need for patience as he continues to work alongside his new leadership team. “The second is just to have — I’ve got to have patience or whatever. I’ve got to let them evolve in these positions, which I think they will. I think it’ll be quick, but I think they’ll evolve.”
With the arrival of Glenn and Mougey, Johnson is hopeful that the Jets will be able to break their playoff drought and return to relevance in 2025.
