Most leaders use data and information from all kinds of sources to drive their decision-making course of. For Jets proprietor Woody Johnson, that apparently contains video video games and his teenage sons.
It got here out after the firing of common supervisor Joe Douglas that Johnson vetoed the Jets’ acquisition of Broncos extensive receiver Jerry Jeudy in trade for Allen Lazard and a Day 2 choose. A month later, the explanation for Johnson’s resistance was revealed, by way of The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver: Jeudy’s ranking in EA Sports activities’ widespread “Madden NFL” online game sequence.
Jeudy began the season with an 83 ranking in “Madden 24” and dropped to an 81 by the top of the season, when the commerce was being negotiated. (Lazard, in the meantime, started the season at 78 and completed at 76.)
When it comes to real-life soccer, Jeudy was clearly the extra productive receiver final yr with 54 receptions on 87 targets for 758 yards (3.4 receptions and 47.4 yards per recreation). Lazard reeled in simply 23 of his 49 targets for 311 yards (1.6 receptions and 22.2 yards per recreation). Lazard has been more practical this yr, catching 31 of his 49 targets for 430 yards and 5 touchdowns, however Jeudy has been even higher after being traded to the Brown with career-highs of 70 receptions and 1,052 yards.
This isn’t the one time {that a} online game has influenced Johnson’s personnel needs. He additionally “pushed again on signing free-agent guard John Simpson as a result of a lackluster ‘consciousness’ ranking in Madden,” per The Athletic. Douglas signed Simpson to a two-year, $18M deal anyway, and the veteran lineman has quietly earned the eighth-highest grade amongst NFL guards from Professional Soccer Focus (subscription required) with a $12M valuation from OverTheCap for his play this yr.
Jets executives have pointed to Johnson’s “Madden” obsession as proof of disproportionate affect from his sons, Brick and Jack. They started sitting in on staff conferences final yr and ceaselessly share posts and articles from social media with their father which are weighed towards the recommendation of the Jets’ decision-makers. “I reply to youngsters,” stated Douglas earlier than the season.
Johnson’s have even violated the standard sanctity of the Jets’ locker room, bringing associates and brazenly airing their criticism of the staff. Brick Johnson even pre-empted Aaron Rodgers after the Jets’ Halloween win, their first after firing Robert Saleh 4 weeks prior. Rodgers meant to provide a customary recreation ball to Jeff Ulbrich for his first victory as a head coach. As an alternative, Brick Johnson jumped into give a recreation ball to Garrett Wilson — full with a profanity-laden exclamation for social media — and Woody Johnson took Rodgers’ ball to provide to Ulbrich himself. One participant referred to as it “essentially the most awkward, cringe-worthy, brutal expertise.”
