NY Jets sources believe internet fan pressure contributed to Joe Douglas firing

The NY Jets officially made the decision to fire general manager Joe Douglas on Tuesday. Douglas, who was in the midst of the final year of his contract, was not expected to return to the Jets in 2025. His firing on Tuesday serves as more of a statement of principle than an actual notable development.

Nonetheless, Jets owner Woody Johnson has made his intentions clear. The Jets will undergo a complete organizational overhaul in the offseason, with a new head coach, a new general manager, and likely a new quarterback.

The decision to move on from Douglas shouldn't have been a difficult one. Despite Johnson telling reporters just last month that Douglas had assembled one of the most talented rosters in franchise history, his record speaks for itself.

Douglas departs the Jets with an abysmal career record of 30-64, giving him one of the lowest winning percentages of any GM in team history. That record ranks 105th out of 107 NFL executives to spend at least five years with the same organization since 1977.

Yet, despite this, Johnson's decision doesn't seem to have come from his mind alone. He reportedly had some outside influence from an unlikely source: the internet.

NY Jets fired Joe Douglas partially due to fan backlash

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported on Tuesday that some within the organization believe "internet influences" were partially to blame for Johnson's decision-making, particularly as it relates to Douglas's firing.

"There are people who've worked there who feel like what's said on the internet influences decision-making. Non-football people have big voices. Those who've tried to change it run into this stuff constantly."

Albert Breer

This isn't the first we've heard about Johnson being influenced by fan voices. A report from The Athletic last year confirmed that Johnson would frequently approach then-Jets head coach Robert Saleh with suggestions he had read online, most notably on X (formerly Twitter).

Johnson's decision to fire Douglas seems to have been influenced by fan backlash on the internet. If that isn't a sign of severe organizational dysfunction, I don't know what is.

Jets ownership has consistently fallen victim to outside influence. Woody's brother, Christopher Johnson, infamously hired Adam Gase back in 2019 after consulting former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, who gave his ex-coach a ringing endorsement.

The Jets have a culture of dysfunction and it starts at the very top with their ownership group. But it's not all bad news for fans. Apparently, if you complain loud enough on the internet, you might actually be able to make decisions for an NFL team.

Maybe Woody Johnson can put together a Twitter poll to decide the next Jets general manager. It's worth a shot.

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