The 2024 election of President Donald Trump will have wide-ranging ramifications for this country and potentially one very significant outcome for the NFL.
Jets owner Woody Johnson may step back from the organization he owns to serve as an ambassador for President Trump, just as he did for Trump's first term when he served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom. And while no one will say for sure whether that's happening -- the President-elect hasn't announced it and Johnson has not commented on the matter -- key NFL officials believe it will happen and the team has the formula in the event it does.
The NFL has not commented, either.
It is also possible Johnson could be offered another similar position by Trump, though those close to Johnson know how much he enjoyed his post last time and they believe he would accept it again.
And considering the uncertainty in the organization, with a head coaching vacancy, general manager Joe Douglas in the final year of his contract and a 40-year-old quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, having Johnson potentially spend the next four years abroad could have a dramatic impact.
First, the specifics: When Trump named Johnson his Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2017, the appointment was announced in late January of 2017. But he was officially confirmed in August.
If that timeline is followed this time, Johnson would run the team's coaching search, potentially hire a coach by the Super Bowl, take the organization through the transition, then hand it over to his brother, Christopher Johnson. This time, however, Christopher isn't new to day-to-day operations for the Jets, having done it before.
That should lead to a smoother transition, as he's stayed around the organization.
While Christopher Johnson drew positive reviews for his leadership the first time around, having different leadership does create challenges.
For instance, when Woody Johnson transitioned back into the organization after Trump's first term, he inherited a coach in Robert Saleh that he did not hire. And inside the organization, there was always the uncertainty of how that would affect the owner-coach relationship and whether Woody would want a coach he himself hired.
Of course, Woody Johnson fired Saleh early this season following a 2-3 start and named Jeff Ulbrich as the interim head coach. There is also the contractual situation with Douglas, whose deal is up this summer. If Woody Johnson is set to hand over the reins of the organization, how does that development inform what's next at GM?
And of course, at age 40, Rodgers' situation is always year-to-year. At the very least, he'll have a decision to make at the end of the season in what should be a hugely consequential offseason for the Jets.
