Jets, CEO send Gov letter on bail reform
Jets CEO Christopher Johnson along with former and current Jets players continued their social justice advocacy efforts by sending a letter to top New York lawmakers Thursday pushing for bail reform before the current legislative session ends in the coming days.
Josh McCown, Kelvin Beachum, Demario Davis and Johnson signed a letter urging Governor Andrew Cuomo and other influential policy makers to pass changes that included eliminating bail for many misdemeanors and non-violent felonies.
Johnson has emerged as a passionate and committed voice in support of players’ desires to raise awareness for social justice inequalities. He has worked with the Players’ Coalition on important initiatives since taking over day-today operations for the Jets, while Woody Johnson serves as the U.K. ambassador for the Trump administration.
Christopher Johnson recently spoke to all Jets players in the wake of the NFL’s new national anthem policy to reiterate his support for their causes.
“I’m very appreciative of him,” Jets wide receiver Kearse said about Johnson. “I think he kind of gets it.… He understands. I don’t know what other owners are doing with their teams, but he’s been actively involved, had multiple meetings. We’ve all been talking to him. So (we’re) just very appreciative of his support. He cares.”
Johnson has been at the forefront of supporting players’ rights at a time when the NFL has seemingly thrown down the hammer. He made it clear in March that keeping players off the field during the anthem would cause more harm than good.
“I just think that trying to forcibly get the players to shut up is a fantastically bad idea,” Johnson said at the time.
The Jets didn’t have any players kneel during the anthem last season. The team’s decision to lock arms on the sideline during the anthem last season might happen again in 2018.
“When we were linking arms before those games,” Johnson told the Daily News in March, “certainly what it meant to me was, ‘Yeah, we’re proud of America, but we want to do our part to make it a little bit better.’ This is just being honest. This isn’t PR speak. I think what we’re doing can be a real positive. I’m really excited about it.”
To that end, bail reform has been an issue that Johnson and Jets players have felt passionate about for a while. Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins held up a handful of written messages in front of his locker on Wednesday citing social issues that need to be changed, including the bail system.
Leaders like Davis, McCown, Beachum and Johnson are hoping to find solutions that make sense. @MMehtaNYDN