ATLANTA – Woody Johnson is not giving up the vision that his New York Jets could contend for a championship – this season.
A day after the Jets fell to 2-4 with a mistake-filled prime-time loss against the Buffalo Bills, the team’s owner pushed back when asked if the season is still salvageable.
This, a week after Johnson fired head coach Robert Saleh, replacing him with interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, and contended that the Jets had a championship-caliber roster.
“Salvageable? We’re going to kick…you can add the words in,” Johnson said, holding court with a group of reporters upon his arrival Tuesday for a meeting of NFL owners at a Buckhead hotel. “We’re going to do really well.”
No team in NFL history has ever advanced to the Super Bowl after firing its coach during the season. Yet Johnson, despite glaring mishaps during the 23-20 loss on Monday night – the Jets committed 11 penalties, missed two field goals, scored just three points in the second half and had an attempt for a late scoring drive evaporate due to an Aaron Rodgers interception – insisted that he is encouraged by the progress of the offense.
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Among topics that Johnson addressed:
— He confirmed the trade with the Las Vegas Raiders to acquire Davante Adams, which reunites the three-time All-Pro receiver with Rodgers.
“We know that they played together,” Johnson said. “I think anybody would be interested.”
— The Jets have given Haason Reddick permission to seek a trade but remain hopeful that they can strike a resolution that can bring the Pro Bowl pass rusher into the fold. Johnson is bullish on the potential impact of Reddick’s new agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
“We like the agent,” Johnson said. “I do. He’s good. He knows what he’s doing. If anybody can get him out of whatever it is and get him playing, I think it would be better for the young player.”
— Johnson maintained that he did not seek Rodgers’ input in firing Saleh.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “I make the decisions. I didn’t ask him. The press has written about it and it’s not true.”
