Jets owner Woody Johnson halted trade for star wide receiver due to video game valuation: report

New York Jets Owner Woody Johnson is back in the spotlight this week after a bombshell report accused the former ambassador of passing on a trade for Cleveland Browns star receiver Jerry Juedy based on his Madden NFL rating.

A report from The athlete The report released Thursday morning painted a picture of the organization’s dysfunction as it missed the playoffs for the 14th straight season, the longest active streak in the NFL.

New York Jets fans during the fourth quarter between the New York Jets and the Seattle Seahawks at MetLife Stadium on December 1, 2024. (Mark Smith-Imagn Images)

At the center of this dysfunction, according to the report, is Johnson.

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One example detailed in the report was the Jets’ decision to cancel a trade with the Jets Denver Broncos involving former first-round pick Jerry Jeudy. Sources told The Athletic that despite negotiations from former general manager Joe Douglas and interest from his counterpart George Paton, the deal was canceled because Johnson was influenced by the player’s rating in Madden NFL.

“Douglas told the Broncos that Johnson did not want to make the trade because the owner felt Jeudy’s player rating on ‘Madden NFL,’ the popular video game, was not high enough, according to multiple league sources,” the report said. Jeudy was instead traded to the Cleveland Browns.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, No. 3, lines up against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)

The video game’s rating also influenced others football decisions, According to the report, Johnson resisted signing guard John Simpson.

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Perhaps more troubling, however, were allegations from sources that Johnson’s two teenage sons had influence in decision-making.

“When we discuss things, you’ll hear Woody quoting something that Brick or Jack read online, which is equally weighed against the opinions of others in the department,” a current team manager told the outlet.

A spokesperson denied this claim in a statement to The Athletic.

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson walks onto the field before the game between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium on December 8, 2024. (Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images)

“It is used as a reference point; it is not decisive,” they said of the opinion of Johnson’s children. “It’s really sad that an adult would use a misleading anecdote about teenagers to make his father look bad. It is frankly ridiculous that this has been used to influence the opinion of senior leaders.”

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The spokesperson added that they had “no role” in the organization and called it “completely ridiculous” to claim otherwise.

With both their head coach and general manager fired and their offensive coordinator demoted, the Jets’ offseason will once again see more turnover and hopefully fewer leaks.

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