Woody Johnson basically called his own Jets players liars with 'bogus' NFLPA comments

Woody Johnson's reputation around the NFL might be at an all-time low. The New York Jets owner was the only owner to receive an 'F' grade in the NFLPA's annual team report card that was released earlier this year, and it's easy to see why.

Johnson has been the subject of multiple high-profile reports that have exposed his overbearing tendencies and meddlesome involvement in football operations, often undermining his staff and contributing to the team's instability.

It should come as no surprise that his own players graded him as the worst owner in the NFL. According to Johnson, however, those players don't know what they're talking about.

Speaking to reporters at the annual league meeting this week, Johnson dismissed the survey as "totally bogus," effectively calling into question his own players who were the source of his abysmal grade.

Johnson's comments only fueled further criticism, painting him as out of touch with the locker room and unwilling to take accountability for his organizational shortcomings.

Woody Johnson seems to believe his NY Jets players are liars

Johnson spoke at length about his issues with the survey, claiming it violated the agreed-upon process between the league and team owners. He questioned the integrity of the data collection, suggesting it wasn’t representative of the full roster and lacked transparency.

Rather than engage with the concerns raised by his players, Johnson instead cast doubt on the legitimacy of the report, aligning himself with other owners who, he said, felt the survey was “not fair” or “balanced.”

Of course, Johnson doesn't really have a leg to stand on here. The NFLPA's official website explains that every rostered player at the time of the survey was provided access to the poll.

If some players chose not to participate, that was their prerogative, not a flaw in the methodology. Johnson’s attempt to discredit the process comes off more like deflection than a genuine concern for fairness.

Johnson told reporters back in January that he "needs to be a better owner" and that he will try to improve moving forward. That appeared to be a step in the right direction — a bare minimum acceptance of blame that he was at least a part of the problem.

This week, Johnson effectively undid all of that by dismissing legitimate player feedback, deflecting blame, and casting doubt on a process designed to hold teams accountable. His self-awareness was short-lived.

The Jets have now missed the postseason 14 years in a row, and that drought doesn't appear to be coming to an end anytime soon after the Aaron Rodgers experiment failed in emphatic fashion. The organization has better odds of competing for the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 than they do of competing for a playoff spot.

Johnson, more than any failed coach, quarterback, or front office executive, has been the one constant throughout the Jets’ era of dysfunction. His inability to foster a stable culture or stay out of football operations continues to weigh down the franchise.

As the organization drifts further from relevance, it’s becoming harder to ignore the reality that the Jets’ biggest obstacle might be the man signing the checks.

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