The Jets‘ 2022 season finally came to its conclusion last Sunday with a 9-6 loss to the Miami Dolphins. That allowed their opponent to punch a ticket to the playoffs, and New York headed home with its sixth straight loss. The end of a season means some final availability for key Jets people with the media. Owner Woody Johnson is included in that.
He spoke with the media on Thursday. On many occasions, he didn’t say a lot of surprising things. Well, except for one quote in particular.
Johnson had similar thoughts to what head coach Robert Saleh said about quarterback Zach Wilson. You know, that it was a tough year, but they still see the talent there and want to help him realize it.
On whether there’s a “make the playoffs, or else” kind of mandate on Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, Johnson said there isn’t one because mandates don’t work. The Jets are owners of the NFL’s longest playoff drought and have the league’s worst overall record since 2016. He’s probably only saying this to avoid making headlines.
If he “expects” to make the playoffs every year — like he claims to — Saleh and Co. will have to show him something in 2023. The best news from his media availability is that he’s willing to spend big on a veteran QB. Johnson even went so far as to say that having good play under center is the Jets’ “missing piece”.
Jets fans are probably reading through this and thinking, “OK, this isn’t terrible and it’s mostly stuff many of us are thinking.” Well, that was the case until Johnson was asked if he could sense the fans getting tired of being close to getting over the hump.
Here’s what he said:
cont … "I want to give them what they want. They want wins + they deserve wins I will try to get them wins."
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) January 12, 2023
I’m sorry, sir…what? He tried to save it with the second half of this quote, but my goodness. Has he actually talked to Jets fans? If he has, did he hear the truth? We’re going to go with no on the first question. And if he has, then no on the second question, too.
Johnson is right to a degree, though. Everyone saw a defense that was among the NFL’s best in 2022. They saw bright young stars in running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson on offense. But we also watched them go from a 7-4 team with playoff aspirations to a 7-10 squad.
The coaching staff is trying to preach that this isn’t the “Same Old Jets” anymore. However, that second-half tailspin looked all too familiar for fans.
Let’s not get it twisted, Woody — fans are tired. There are reasons to be hopeful about the future. But this isn’t the first time those feelings have appeared since New York’s last playoff appearance. It would’ve been OK to say he realizes fans are tired. Instead, he said something that makes him seem hilariously out of touch with reality.
Matt Musico can be reached at matt.musico@xlmedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
