Woody Johnson prevented NY Jets from extending homegrown star

The NY Jets' decision to let former star defensive end Bryce Huff walk in free agency this past offseason was one of the most contentious of now-former general manager Joe Douglas' tenure with the organization.

Huff had been developed from a little-known undrafted free agent to one of the best players on a talented Jets roster, which is why many weren't pleased when the team opted not to extend him in the offseason. He'd go on to sign a three-year, $51.1 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

In reality, the decision might not have been left up to Douglas. The Athletic dropped a bombshell report on Tuesday, implicating team owner Woody Johnson for a number of issues within the organization. The report noted that Johnson interfered in the Huff situation.

Johnson reportedly "vetoed" an extension offer that Douglas had prepared for Huff, ending any hopes the Jets had of re-signing the talented young pass rusher.

"Douglas had a contract extension offer he was getting ready to propose to defensive end Bryce Huff’s agent, but Johnson vetoed that — and any other moves involving paying new money to players on the roster."

The Athletic

Woody Johnson vetoed a Bryce Huff extension offer from the NY Jets

Now, it should be noted that we don't know the specifics of Douglas' extension offer. Reports at the time suggested the Jets weren't willing to pay Huff what other teams were on the open market. It's very possible that even had Johnson not intervened, the Jets still wouldn't have retained Huff.

The former Memphis standout has also struggled in his first season with the Eagles. Huff has recorded just 14 pressures and two sacks in 10 games this year. He's performed better as of late after a slow start, but his production is down significantly from last season.

Part of that could be schematic. Huff thrived in Robert Saleh's attacking 4-3 defense, a scheme that allowed him to maximize his quick first step and natural pass-rushing abilities. That hasn't been the case for Huff in Philadelphia.

Regardless of the outcome, it's never ideal to see reports about a team's owner vetoing roster moves. That's a clear sign that the organization lacks a unified vision and that personal interference is undermining the decisions of the football professionals hired to lead.

Johnson clearly lost faith in Douglas and the Jets regime and began to assert himself in ways that only deepened the dysfunction. That manifested itself in meddling with roster decisions and reportedly vetoing trades and signings.

This isn't meant to absolve Douglas of blame for his mishandling of the Huff situation, and you can even make an argument that letting him walk was the right decision given his struggles and Will McDonald's emergence in 2024.

But that’s not the core issue. The core issue is Woody Johnson’s repeated inability to let his football staff do their jobs without interference. Until Johnson allows his football minds to operate without his impulsive interventions, meaningful progress will remain out of reach for the Jets organization.

More NY Jets news and analysis: