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Sugih Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer
FLORHAM PARK, NJ – The New York Jets’ disappointing season claimed another victim Tuesday, as owner Woody Johnson fired general manager Joe Douglas after five seasons.
The move comes six weeks after Johnson fired coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start, setting the stage for an offseason revival that could affect quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Phil Savage, senior football advisor for the Jets, was named the team’s interim general manager. Savage is the former GM of the Cleveland Browns (2005-08).
“Today, I informed Joe Douglas that he will no longer be the General Manager of the New York Jets. I want to thank Joe for his commitment to the Jets over the past six years and wish him and his family the best going forward,” Johnson said in a statement.
Johnson added that the Jets “will begin the process of identifying a new General Manager immediately.” He was not available to reporters.
The Jets, who started the season with Super Bowl aspirations, dropped to 3-8 after blowing a late lead Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Johnson, who recently called it the best roster he’s had in his 25 years of ownership, was livid after the game, sources said.
Douglas’ dismissal isn’t surprising — the team is 30-64 under his stewardship, with no winning seasons and no playoff appearances — but the timing is curious, with six games remaining. Douglas, who signed a six-year contract in June 2019, does not have a contract for the 2025 season. In fact, it expires in six months, which creates uncertainty over the length of the season.
Johnson is considering sooner rather than later as he decides Douglas’ fate after Sunday’s game and wants to start the GM search process quickly, sources said. He apparently felt it would have been awkward to do the search with the lame-duck GM still in the building.
The fate of Douglas was likely sealed when he was not included in the decision to fire Saleh on October 8. At the time, Johnson made it abundantly clear that it was a call, leaving the GM in a difficult position.
Some in the organization were surprised that Johnson did not fire Douglas and Saleh at the same time, sources said. It’s possible Johnson kept Douglas long enough to handle some unfinished business — the Haason Reddick holdout and the trade deadline (November 5). The Jets wound up trading for wide receiver Davante Adams (Oct. 15) and tackle holdout (Oct. 22), with Johnson taking a key role in both.
Douglas has become disenchanted in the past few weeks, the source said, hoping for a miraculous turnaround to change that. On the contrary; The Jets have dropped seven of the past eight games in what was supposed to be a win-now season under Rodgers, which is a cloudy season. One source said he would be “surprised” if Johnson brought Rodgers back in 2025.
Rodgers, 40, suffered one of his worst statistical seasons, is under contract for next season ($23.5 million), but no guaranteed salary.
Douglas comes with a good reputation as a talent evaluator. He created a roster with young stars such as wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner, but he had a big accident by drafting quarterback Zach Wilson with the second pick in 2021 after deciding to move on from Sam Darnold and being traded to the Carolina Panthers. .
Douglas tried a quick fix at quarterback, trading for Rodgers in April 2023, but the Jets caught a bad break when the future Hall of Famer tore his Achilles on the fourth snap of the 2023 season. They doubled down on Rodgers, surrounding him with aging stars on the deal. short-term – namely offensive tackle Tyron Smith, wide receiver Mike Williams and edge rusher Reddick, who arrived via trade. None of them have worked. Williams was traded recently to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While Douglas helped build a talented defense, he has regressed this season, he failed to solidify the offensive line and the quarterback position. As of the start of 2019, the team’s quarterback ranks last in the NFL in Total QBR (36), completion rate (59.6%), and yards per attempt (6.3), according to ESPN Research.
The Jets will be looking to hire a GM and coach for the first time since 2015, when they wound up with Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles, respectively. Bowles was fired after the 2018 season; Maccagnan was fired a few months after losing to newly hired coach Adam Gase. Maccagnan was replaced by Douglas.
Johnson’s role for 2025 remains unclear. There is speculation that he could be appointed by president-elect Donald Trump to serve again as ambassador to the United Kingdom, a post he held from 2017 to 2021. If that happens, Johnson’s younger brother, Christopher, will once again assume his daily duties. day control of the team.
