New York Jets owner Woody Johnson blamed quarterback play for his team’s 0-7 start and repeatedly affirmed his faith in Aaron Glenn on Tuesday in his first public comments since the offseason.
Arriving for the NFL’s annual fall owners meeting, Johnson defended Glenn, praised the first-year coach’s handling of the defense and deferred to the staff on who should start at football’s most important position moving forward. Justin Fields started six games, missing one with injury, and was benched in favor of backup Tyrod Taylor in the second half Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
“The defense is pretty good. If we can just complete a pass, it would look good,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to complete some passes. You’ve got to convince them that you can do something. Otherwise, it’s hard to have a game that you can win.”
The Jets are last in the league in passing offense and are the only team without a win.
“Well, the record speaks for itself, but I don’t go to any game thinking I’m going to lose,” Johnson said. “I see what you see. But I see more hope than you do. You can’t win with hope. It helps.”
Johnson said he believes in the decisions to hire Darren Mougey as GM and Glenn as coach.
Asked who he thinks should start at QB, the 78-year-old said: “That’s completely up to the coach. I’m not going to be involved at all in any of that. This is what they’re paid to do, and this is what they’re experts at doing, and so they’ll make the right decision – with what we’ve got.”
The organization moved on from Aaron Rodgers after going 5-12 in 2024. Rodgers has thrown for 14 touchdowns and five interceptions to help the Pittsburgh Steelers open 4-2 and sit atop the AFC North.
Johnson would not reveal if he regrets that decision.
“I never look back,” he said. “You have to look forward in football. When you cut players, they could be a Hall of Famer. You just never know. But Aaron’s playing great now. He’s in a situation that’s working for him.”
Not much is working for New York, largely because of offensive struggles.
“[Fields] has the ability, but something just is not jiving,” Johnson said. “The offense is just not clicking. And you can’t run the ball if you can’t pass the ball. That’s Football 101.”
The Jets have the longest active playoff drought in the NFL, having not qualified since 2010. Johnson said true Jets fans still have hope, like he does.
“They’ve been at it for a long time, so they know exactly what’s going on,” Johnson said. “I think they’re the smartest fans in [the] world. I think they do know what’s going on. They know what they see.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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