Says no tank you!
assessing the performances of both Bowles and Maccagnan this season won’t differ from Woody’s, in that wins and losses won’t be the primary factor in whether either man keeps his job. In May, Woody Johnson asked fans to judge the Jets based on “how we improve during the year.”
“It’s going to be obvious to all if this team is progressing,” Christopher Johnson said. “There are so many young guys who just because they aren’t boldfaced names doesn’t mean they aren’t really talented, and I think that we have a group of coaches, including Todd, who are really good at building those players up, teaching the roles these young players have to fill.”
“Like any fan, I like wins a lot more than losses. But that’s only part of the equation. The real way to judge this team and the people on it, me included, is, ‘Are we getting better?’” Johnson added. “It’s not going to come down to games. It really won’t. It’s more about the play on the field. …Believe me, losses hurt deeply. I like wins a lot more. But it’s not going to be the sole or even a really important way for me to judge Todd or Mike.”
Either way, the Jets — who fell to 0-2 this weekend with a lopsided loss at the Raiders — are in full rebuild mode. There’s no way around that. And the prospect of selecting USC’s Sam Darnold or UCLA’s Josh Rosen with the No. 1 overall pick this spring has only added fuel to the tankingtalk fire.
Johnson is urging fans to keep faith in the organization during this process.
“I can’t say what that perception is exactly,” Johnson said of how fans are viewing the 2017 Jets. “But what I hope it is is that this is a team on the rise. There are some growing pains right now. No question. But we’ve got a plan and I’m going to do everything I can to support the people in this building.”
At the same time, Johnson admitted there’s nothing he can do to prevent Jets supporters from growing apathetic.
The Jets play their home opener Sunday afternoon against the Dolphins at MetLife Stadium.
“I hope that the fans will buy into our plan, and I’m looking forward to seeing growth,” Johnson said. “They’re going to see this team grow before their eyes. I think that that’s exciting. I can’t say whether they’re going to stay home. But I hope they don’t.”