The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Acting owner: No tanking
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Christopher Johnson has spent the past 17 years as a trusted confidant behind the scenes for his older brother’s New York Jets.
He’s now front and center as the man in charge of the franchise that Woody Johnson bought in 2000. And he’d love more than anything to deliver on a dream that would satisfy long-suffering fans — and give him some serious sibling bragging rights.
“What I really want to see happen is for us to go to the Super Bowl,” Christopher Johnson said Wednesday before his face lit up with a grin. “I promised my brother I’ll leave him two tickets at will call. Every little brother wants to show up his big brother.”
Johnson has stepped into the role as the Jets’ acting chairman and CEO with Woody now serving as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom for President Donald Trump.
“It’s your team,” Christopher recalled Woody telling him at the time. “Don’t mess it up.”
Speaking to reporters for the first time, Christopher Johnson made it clear during the 20-minute boardroom session that not only does he intend to not screw things up, he has visions of bringing the franchise to
new heights.
“The biggest challenge is to earn the trust of the fans,” he said, “to have them know that I care about this team deeply and I’m going to do everything I can to make it a great team again.”
These are tough times for Jets fans, who are enduring an 0-2 start during a rebuilding season that could rank among the worst by the time Week 17 rolls around.
The team shed itself of several big-name players with big contracts during the offseason and left a roster filled with youth and inexperience.
It all has many fans and media suggesting that the Jets might be sacrificing victories for better chances at the No. 1 overall draft pick — and perhaps, a franchise quarterback — next year.
“It couldn’t be further from the truth,” Johnson said. “I mean, I want to win every game. Every player in that locker room wants to win. What you’re seeing, I think, are growing pains. These are young guys. … I think you’re going to see this team get better and better and better. That’s what I’m looking for.
“And we are definitely not tanking.”
During the next 15 weeks, Johnson will be focused on how the team looks overall — its attitude and development — instead of the final record.
“My brother said early in the spring to not judge the team on wins and losses, but its progression, and I agree with that,” Johnson said. “I think it’s going to be obvious to all if this team is progressing.”
That is the factor by which Johnson will proceed with making decisions on the fates of coach Todd Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan. Johnson was complimentary of both when asked about his early season assessments of them. He speaks to Maccagnan almost daily, and to Bowles a few times a week.