Woody Johnson’s latest football move doesn’t involve the Jets

In recent weeks, the public has come to know that New York Jets owner Woody Johnson was knee-deep in negotiations to purchase Crystal Palace of the English Premier League. What seemed inevitable is now official. Woody Johnson owns another football team.

Is this the part of the championship DVD where interviewees sit down and talk about today as the day when things finally felt different? The kind of day where the clouds parted for the sun, and Woody's symbolic stranglehold over any Jets' success was relinquished?

Probably not. But I'm sure Jets fans also aren't exactly upset with a second distraction for Johnson to sink his teeth into.

Granted, the last time Woody paused to focus on outside ventures, it didn't exactly end well. But sometimes in life, you get a second chance. Jets fans are seemingly getting a second chance here. Let's look at the deal itself and what it means for New York moving forward.

What does the deal look like?

It turns out European soccer clubs aren't cheap. Who knew?

Johnson is coughing up $254 million for the team, worth roughly 43% of the club. And he won't be the only American Football owner with a share either. Johnson joins the Washington Commanders' majority and minority owners, Josh Harris and David Blitzer.

While there is plenty for Jets fans to complain about when it comes to their owner, the one thing that cannot be included on that list is his willingness to spend.

MetLife Stadium, though a glorified toilet bowl, cost a lot of money to build, and the Florham Park practice facility is widely regarded as top-notch. Johnson is showing his pungent appetite for spending once again.

A lot is going on for Palace right now, so Woody will have his hands full from day one. The club is in the middle of a dispute that threatens their eligibility for the Europa League and is still waiting to be cleared to play.

Does Woody Johnson have one foot out the door?

In an attempt not to get fans' hopes too high, don't expect this to mean that the Woody Johnson era is coming to a close for the Jets. It's nice to dream about, but there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case.

However, despite no tangible evidence, it's worth surmising that Johnson may not be as invested in the Jets as he was yesterday. How could he be? I don't own a football team, but I imagine it takes up a lot of your mental capacity. Imagine throwing a Premier League soccer club into that blender?

Even if Woody has it in his head that this is simply a side gig or a passion project, every second of his time makes a difference. Think about it. Every second that Johnson is making any decisions for Crystal Palace is a second he isn't making decisions for the Jets.

Whether it's as involved as a high-stakes stadium renovation project or as simple as concession pricing for the next season, that's time that Woody is not consulting with son Brick on players' Madden Ratings or demanding that Tony Adams be benched.

Unless you're the one Jets fan who is a staunch Woody Johnson supporter (if you are, I would really like to meet you), today can only be viewed as a positive.

What will this mean for the Jets?

Again, Jets fans cannot expect there to be much tangible result from all of this — at least not yet. It remains unclear if Johnson believes he will have to delegate any football responsibility given his new role with the soccer club. If he does decide to delegate, we don't know to whom.

When Woody left in 2017 to assume the position of US Ambassador to the UK, he left his brother Christopher in charge. Would it be Christopher again? That didn't end well last time. Will it be his son, Brick? I know that's a joke, but some day... just wait.

Realistically, I wouldn't expect to see Johnson relinquish much involvement in the Jets. Based on his meddling last season, he seems to still really care. And knowing his ego, I'm sure he seeks to revive his horrendous image within the NFL.

But he isn't getting any younger, and there are only so many hours in the day. He has tried to purchase a soccer club in the past, and he does have close ties to the region. What if he falls in love with the sport? What if he decides that he likes the Jets, but he loves Crystal Palace?

Who knows? But a fan can certainly dream.

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