Christopher Wold Johnson will take over as Chair & CEO of the NFL Jets as his brother, Owner Woody Johnson, becomes the U.S. ambassador to the U.K., and Jets fans are "hoping a change at the top at least brings a change in fortunes," according to Gary Myers of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. League sources said that Woody Johnson will "divorce himself of team and league business and let little brother run the show while he’s gone." Unless Christopher Johnson has been a "quick study doing his prep work the last few months, he will be wise to defer" to team President Neil Glat on the business side, and support GM Mike Maccagnan’s "rebuilding plan on the football side." Woody Johnson’s "departure is a big deal." He is "leaving the team to someone who has no experience running a sports franchise." When late Steelers Chair Dan Rooney served as ambassador to Ireland from '09-12, the team was in the "capable hands" of his son Art Rooney II, the team president, who had been "running the day-to-day operation anyway." Christopher Johnson, listed as a Jets Owner as part of the Johnson family, "has not been a visible figure around the Jets." He joined his brother at the league meetings in Phoenix in March and "recently has been around the Jets offices in Florham Park, just as he’s been in the past -- he’s just more noticeable now." It is "hard to believe Woody Johnson will not be consulted if his brother or Maccagnan want to fire" coach Todd Bowles, whose contract "stipulates he reports to Woody Johnson." Myers: "Maccagnan might speak to Woody through Chris, and even if Woody has ceded control to Chris, it doesn’t make much sense that a rookie interim owner will be signing off on franchise-altering decisions" (N.Y DAILY NEWS, 7/19).
THE HIGH LIFE: In Newark, Ted Sherman noted despite opposition from local residents, the New Jersey DOT "without any public hearings has okayed a request by the Jets to use helicopters to airlift executives and players in and out of the NFL team's suburban training facility." The state "gave clearance to the construction of a helipad" at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park. The Jets "declined comment and would not say when construction might get underway." The team has been "seeking a landing zone at the training facility" since '13 (NJ.com, 7/18).
