Did Jerry Jeudy’s “Madden” rating scare off the New York Jets?

During the offseason between the 2023 and 2024 NFL seasons, the Denver Broncos attempted to trade wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. The former Alabama All-American wanted a fresh start after four seasons with Denver, and the Broncos had no objection.

Jeudy was traded to the Cleveland Browns on March 9 for a fifth- and sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he posted the first 1,000-yard receiving season of his career.

Would Jeudy have done that in 2024 by catching passes from quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets?

According to a report from The Athletic on Tuesday, it could have happened, but Jets owner Woody Johnson didn’t believe Jeudy’s rating on the “Madden NFL” video game was high enough to justify the trade.

A report by Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver detailing the NFL franchise’s dysfunction under Johnson’s leadership includes Jets general manager Joe Douglas’s efforts to use Jeudy as a target for Rodgers and as a complement to the two-time 1,000-yarder. Receiver Garrett wins Wilson.

But, the report says, Douglas had to tell his Denver counterpart George Paton that New York couldn’t complete the deal because of Johnson’s objection based on Jeudy’s “Madden NFL” number.