Jets owner takes aim at Robert Saleh, Joe Douglas, Zach Wilson
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson put head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas on notice during an interview at the NFL Honors awards show in Las Vegas.
Making his first public comments since opting to stick with Saleh and Douglas, Johnson made it clear on Thursday night that the Jets’ 7-10 record in the 2023 season wasn’t acceptable.
“We have all this talent and we have to deploy talent properly. So I think they all got the message. This is it. This is the time to go. We’ve got to produce this year,” Johnson said. “We have to do a lot better than seven (wins), definitely.”
Sure, expectations were high after the Jets acquired four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers in the offseason. Four snaps into the season opener, however, Rodgers suffered an Achilles tear that Johnson equated to “having your arm chopped off.”
The Jets own an 18-33 record in three seasons under Saleh and 27-60 mark under Douglas. They have a 13-season playoff drought, the longest among the major sports leagues in North America.
When asked about areas need to be addressed this offseason, Johnson took aim at backup quarterback Zach Wilson without mentioning his name.
“You need a backup quarterback,” Johnson said. “We didn’t have one last year.”
Wilson struggled mightily after replacing Rodgers, limping to a 4-7 record this season and 12-21 overall with the Jets.
The Jets are expected to trade Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in 2021, this offseason.
Wilson’s season ended with a 60.1 percent completion mark for 2,271 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was sacked 46 times for 340 yards.
He has thrown for 6,293 yards with 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions in 34 career games (33 starts).
–Field Level Media
