New Woody Johnson distraction might be the Jets' biggest blessing yet

Remember those magical days when Woody Johnson just… went away? It was back in 2017, and for Jets fans, it felt like a blessing from the football gods out of nowhere. A new President had taken office, and suddenly he needed an ambassador to the United Kingdom, so who does he choose? The owner of the New York Jets.

All of this feels preposterous, and it is. But it’s exactly what happened. Jets owner Woody Johnson really became a U.S. ambassador. Granted, the results didn’t end well. The hope was that Woody would be too busy with the U.K. to continue his day-to-day handling of the Jets, and that part turned out to be true.

What didn’t turn out to be true was that it helped. His brother Christopher took over, and what followed were two of the most miserable eras in Jets history: the Adam Gase experience and the Aaron Rodgers debacle.

That said, now that the Jets finally have a clear direction with a new general manager, head coach, and young quarterback, the less involved Woody is, the better. And it seems the football gods might be offering the Jets a second chance at that gift.

Woody may have too much on his plate to eat soon

According to reports, Johnson is interested in purchasing Crystal Palace FC, the English Premier League club. This comes amidst a controversy that could see Palace banned from the Europa League. Sounds pretty distracting, huh?

The issue stems from Crystal Palace minority owner John Textor, who also holds a majority stake in Lyon, a direct competitor. That’s a big “no-no" in the soccer world.

As a result, Textor is being forced to sell his 43% stake in the club, which is reportedly valued at around $270 million. He also likely has to move quickly, as he already technically missed the March 1st deadline.

With this mess unfolding in the UK, who better to swoop in and start throwing his money around? I’m sure you can see where this is headed.

Yes, Woody is looking to buy, and it seems like he’s the front-runner. This wouldn’t be the first time he’s tried to purchase a major soccer team. Back in 2022, Johnson made a play for powerhouse Chelsea.

Ever the opportunist, he saw his chance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Chelsea’s owner at the time, Roman Abramovich, was a Russian oligarch who was sanctioned by the UK government.

That attempt failed. But it’s not about how many times you get knocked down — it’s about how many times you get knocked down and get back up. And Woody? He’s getting back up.

We don’t know much more at this point. But with June underway and the season fast approaching, the Jets have a young and talented roster, led by a leadership group fans actually trust. If Jets fans are smart, they should want Woody as far away from Florham Park as possible.

So start crossing your fingers, knocking on wood, and tossing salt over your shoulder. The Jets have to catch a break eventually... right?

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