The Jets search for a new general manager continues, and if you’ve struggled to keep up with everything that’s going on, just know you’re not alone. But before we get into the latest on the GM front, there are two other interesting developments worth noting.

• Despite not having hired a new general manager, the Jets have already begun the process of targeting candidates for the offensive coordinator job. Names include Cam Cameron, Marty Mornhinweg, Hue Jackson and Pep Hamilton. According to CBS Sports, Cameron is considered the early “favorite.”
• In addition to interviewing several potential offensive coordinators, the Jets are also reportely targeting David Lee to replace the recently fired Matt Cavanaugh as quarterback’s coach. You might remember David Lee as the dude in Miami that introduced the Wildcat to the NFL. Between this development and Rex Ryan’s mention of the word “pistol” in relation to his plans for the team’s 2013 offense, one can only assume they have plans to continue with some Wildcat-option fun.

It’s curious that Woody Johnson and what remains of the Jets front office are working to target coordinators and coaches when they haven’t even hired a general manager yet, though the GM search doesn’t appear any closer to a resolution that it did a week ago. The team has interviewed at least 10 candidates for the opening, including Tom Gamble, Marc Ross, Jerry Angelo and Scott Cohen, and more candidates are being added with each passing day. » Continue reading “Jets Search for a New General Manager Continues”

Woody Johnson and Jed Hughes will have conducted 11 interviews by the end of the week as part of their search for a new general manager.

The Jets GM search, which appeared to be locked up with Tom Gamble over the weekend, has suddenly taken an interesting turn. In fact, it has been so interesting that even I had a difficult time following it today.

Falcons’ David Caldwell, considered by many to be a “dark horse” candidate based on the positive buzz surrounding Gamble, completed his second interview with the Jets yesterday afternoon. The Jaguars announced that he would be their new general manager later that day.

With their first round of interviews completed and no GM emerging as a favorite, the Jets begin to add additional candidates to the mix, beginning with Colts vice president of football operations Tom Telesco, whom they requested an interview with early this morning (Wednesday). Telesco was named the Chargers new general manager this afternoon.

The Caldwell and Telesco developments must have scared the Jets a bit, because they have now added a long list of candidates throughout the course of the day.

• Dolphins Assistant General Manager Brian Gaine, a Bill Parcells disciple who once worked for the Jets, will be interviewed for the GM job later the week (several reports have the interview happening tomorrow).
• Omar Khan, Steelers Director of Football & Business Administration will be interviewed tomorrow. Khan is considered to be a cap-and-contracts-specialist (that is, specializing in contract negotiations and managing the team’s cap), not a football scout or a “football guy,” as they say. If Khan was to be hired, it’s highly likely he would need assistance from someone with more scouting experience, perhaps someone from the Steelers or even – ugh – Bradaway.
• Former Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo will also be interviewed tomorrow. You may recall Angelo was recently fired in Chicago after 11 years as their general manager. Some positives on Angelo: He has some experience with personnel form his days in Tampa Bay and he is also known for being cheap.
• Seahawks VP of Football Administration John Idzik will interview for Jets GM job on Friday, according to Jason LaCanfora. Idzik has played a huge part in restructuring the Seahawks cap situation in the past few years so, yep, you guessed it, he’s another “cap guy.”
• Jim Popp, GM of Montreal Alouettes in CFL, is believed to be on Jets GM radar as well, according to Manish Mehta. No interview has been scheduled, but many around the league believe him to be an excellent candidate. He was the runner up for the Colts job last year and he is a top candidate for the Panthers opening.
• As a side note, Albert Breer reported that  the Jets requested and received permission to interview San Diego Chargers Director of Player Personnel Jimmy Raye for the position. Raye has since been taken out of the mix. According to Cimini, “(the) interview never (never) scheduled.”

» Continue reading “Jets Add Several New Names to the GM Mix”

After 15 years in New York, the Jets have relieved general manager Mike Tannenbaum of his duties.  Head coach Rex Ryan will keep his job.

The team announced the decision in a statement from Chairman and CEO Woody Johnson:

Our 2012 season was a disappointment to all of us.  My goal every year as owner is to build a team that wins consistently.  This year, we failed to achieve that goal.

This morning, I informed Mike Tannenbaum that he will not return for the 2013 season.  Mike devoted 15 years of service to the Jets, and I want to thank him for his hard work and dedication.  Although he helped guide us to two consecutive AFC Championship games, we are not where we want to be, and a new General Manager will be critical to getting this team back on the right track.

Starting immediately, we will conduct a search for a new General Manager.  I’ve consulted with a number of football executives and I have also engaged the services of Korn/Ferry International, the same search firm that conducted the NFL Commissioner search in 2006.  Our process with Korn/Ferry will be led by Jed Hughes, who heads their sports practice and who previously led the General Manager search for the Seattle Seahawks, among others.  When we have updates on this process, we will provide them to our fans and the media.

Rex Ryan will remain the Head Coach of our football team.  I believe that he has the passion, the talent, and the drive to successfully lead our team.

Like all Jets fans, I am disappointed with this year’s results.  However, I am confident that this change will best position our team for greater success going forward.

Though many have expressed concern over Rex Ryan’s performance as head coach this season, it is Tannenbaum’s philosophy and direction of the team’s personnel, particularly on the offensive side of the ball and on draft day, that has hindered the team the most. The guy know as “trader Mike” helped construct a Jets offense that scored 10 points or fewer in seven games this season and finished the year averaging 17.6 points per game.

Also contributing to Tannenbaum’s demise was the construction of several bad contracts, namely the contract extension of quarterback Mark Sanchez, a financial hit that will likely cripple the team for the next two years.

Woody Johnson is currently at the Jets facility and more firings are expected to follow. He is not scheduled to address media on Tannenbaum firing or any other subsequent firings. Rex Ryan will also not speak with the media today — his 4 pm presser has been cancelled.

ESPN New York has already compiled a list of potential candidates on the team’s radar. You can check them out here.

UPDATE: Mike Tannenbaum has just released a statement, via Jets PR.

I want to thank Woody and his entire family for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime — serving as the General Manager of the New York Jets for seven years.

I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of rebuilding a winning tradition for Jets fans over the past 15 years. My days with Coach Parcells through my years as General Manager of the team that went to back-to-back AFC Championship games have been the fulfillment of a dream I have had since I was a little kid and I’ll always be grateful to Woody, the two head coaches, Rex and Eric, as well as all of the players, staff and the entire organization for this opportunity.

While of course it is disappointing to not achieve the ultimate goal of winning a championship, I am incredibly proud of our overall winning record and success. I feel very fortunate to have been the general manager who drafted cornerstone players during a period that yielded four playoff victories and 22 Pro Bowl appearances.

I appreciate that it is rare for someone to stay with one organization with such a wide range of responsibilities for so many years. My time with the Jets will always be special to me and my family and it has prepared me well for whatever comes next.

There are champions on this team that haven’t been crowned yet. I am confident that the base we’ve established will allow the New York Jets to continue a winning tradition for years to come and I wish everyone in the organization the best of luck.

Looks like the Jets read my post from yesterday.

After the NFL and NFLPA, the Giants, the Dolphins and several other teams and their owners donated money to help those affected by Superstorm Sandy, the Jets finally responded with a donation of their own on Thursday, announcing that they are donating $500,000 to Sandy relief efforts.  The donation will be divided between three organizations: The Mayor’s Fund for NYC Hurricane Relief, the Nassau and Suffolk County branches of the Salvation Army, and the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.

The Jets will also dedicate their Thanksgiving game to helping and honoring those affected by the storm. 100 first responders have been invited to participate in pre-game activities and a brief moment of silence will be taken before kickoff to honor the victims.

“Our hearts go out to all of those affected by Hurricane Sandy,” said Jets chairman and CEO Woody Johnson in a statement. The Jets hope that these donations will make a difference in the lives of those people. We will continue to find ways to assist those in need and encourage our fans to find ways to help with these efforts.”

Jets players offered words of support and encouragement to those affected by Sandy in a video on newyorkjets.com.

It’s been nearly ten days since Superstorm Sandy devastated the Tri-State area, killing more than 100 people and leaving more than 8 million homes and businesses without power. Many people in Staten Island, New Jersey and Long Island are still without power and now, like a horrifying scene out of a science fiction movie, another storm, Nor’eastern Athena (I guess we are naming these now?), is bringing heavy wet snow, blustery winds, freezing temps and sheets of ice to the already reeling region.

Mark Sanchez visited NJ with first responders.

The NFL and NFLPA  generously donated $1 million dollars to the American Red Cross for Sandy relief in the days following the storm, and many teams, their owners and even some players have followed suit.

Zygi Wolf, owner of the Minnesota Vikings (and a New Jersey native), donated $100,000 to the relief efforts, Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson donated $100,000 of his own money to assist families in the region and Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay pledged to match online donations up to $1 per fan at last Sunday’s Colts game against the Miami Dolphins (the donation was expected to exceed $65,000).

On Tuesday, the New York Giants, who were directly impacted by the storm, donated $500,000 to storm relief charities in addition to donating food and money for victims through an annual food drive at MetLife Stadium before Sunday’s game. Several Giants players volunteered time to distribute food in New Jersey while others worked at the New Jersey Food bank separating food items and making sandwiches for relief workers. Quarterback Eli Manning also lent a hand, assisting the American Red Cross in its efforts on Staten Island.

Today, the Miami Dolphins and their owner Stephen Ross donated $500,000 to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York to support Hurricane Sandy relief efforts (Ross is chairman of Related Companies, a real estate company in New York City). The team also announced that they will donate net proceeds from the sale of tickets for Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans to the American Red Cross.

Many other franchises and individual athletes have done their part to help those in need, including the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and the Baltimore Orioles.

But what about the Jets?

Good question.

» Continue reading “Hey New York Jets, Where’s the Sandy Relief?”

Will he or won’t he? That is the question. In nine days we will get an answer, but until then we are left with only speculation.

The latest Revis hypothesizing came Monday, when ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen visited  Mike and Mike in the Morning to talk news happening around the league. On the show, Mort revealed that he’d be “surprised if he’s [Revis] there on Day 1″ of training camp in Cortland.

“The Jets, I think they’re going to see what Revis does, because he’s playing as if he’s one of the top five football players in the NFL…Everybody understands they may not be a contender without Revis … He’s kept everybody guessing. I’m almost going to be surprised if he’s there Day 1.”

Worth noting that this is Mortensen’s opinion. Opinion.

As you are likely well aware, Revis and his people will not comment on whether or not he will hold out, so it’s absolutely fair to speculate. But, being that training camp begins in just over a week and no developments of any kind whatsoever have been reported, I think it’s safe to assume that the two sides have not spoken to each other, a new contract has not been agreed upon and that Revis will hold out.

In anticipation of the anticipated holdout, let’s briefly breakdown Revis’ contract from 2010 and to understand what he wants.

Why am I going over these details? Because I have gathered through my conversations with people that there is misunderstanding about what exactly his last contract looked like and why in the world he feels he has the write to another one. (For a complete break down, go here).

Revis signed a four year, $46 million contract in 2010 after a highly publicized holdout that was captured on HBO’s Had Knocks for all the world to see. As part of that deal, Revis was paid $32.5 million – $16.25 per year – in 2010 and 2011. The salary did make him the highest paid corner in those two years (just above Nnamdi, who earned $16.124 mill), which was likely what got the deal made at the time.

In the last two years of the deal the salary drops down, paying Revis $13.5 million. He will make $7.5 mil this season, including $2 mill in bonuses and another million in a reporting bonus, if he shows up.

And that is why we are where we are. While Revis’ salary in the first two years did make him the highest paid corner in the league, his 2012 salary, at age 26 and in the prime of his career,  is not even in the Top 10 for cornerbacks in the NFL. In fact, it the 17th highest salary. 17th.

Ultimately, Revis is  probably wanting to match the salaries we saw cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan receive this off-season (Both are just over $10 mill). These two corners have now passed the market but Revis still remains the superior player. » Continue reading “Revis Watch Heats Up”

After a brief hiatus, the mailbag is back. This week’s mailbag focuses on the continued discussion surrounding concussions and how the growing number of lawsuits could potentially effect the league. I also received a question regarding the Jets decision to turn down Hard Knocks, and what I think it says about the front office.

Submit your questions, comments, or concerns for next week’s mailbag on Twitter @kristinereese.

Do you think anything else will be done concerning concussions in NFL? Or do you think the league should leave it be?

I was having a pretty serious discussion with a friend on Twitter late last week about what effect the concussion debate will have on the future of the NFL, and we both decided that given the events over the course of the past few months, the increased research and awareness of head injuries resulting from the game, and the obvious commitment on the part of the commissioner, the league will continue to change. And, it could ultimately change the face of the game as we know it so much, that it will actually no longer be the game we know. This is obviously worst case scenario, but if litigation continues at it’s current rate, we could very well be looking at the end of the game all together.

Don’t believe me? Just listen to Dave Pear, an ex-NFL player who is a lead plaintiff in one of the class action lawsuits filed against the NFL. Pear is one of 1,800 former players that make up 70 complaints against the league. Pear said, “The concussion issue, if not handled right, has the potential to end football.”

Exactly how the league will change remains to be seen. I have been one of many football fans who has been very vocal about how the league is seemingly turning into flag or exhibition football, but quite honestly, in light of recent events, I really can’t blame the NFL for “dumbing down” the game to make it safer. The fact is, football is an inherently dangerous sport, and to that end, the dangers of serious injuries – head or otherwise – can never be completely eliminated. BUT, given the incredibly popularity of the sport, the fact remains that even a “less violent” version of the game will still make money and protect against future lawsuits that cost money. And after all, the NFL is a business. And not just a business for the league, it’s a business for the players, too.

So let me be clear: I am not saying I want the sport to be “soft,” bur rather, I want the sport to be safe. As safe as it can possibly be.

I – as I would imagine everyone involved in the situation does – understand and acknowledge that football IS a contract sport and unfortunately, I do not believe that a whole lot can really be done to prevent a vast majority of injuries from happening in the first place. But what I think we will see is even more measures being taken to further eliminate the type of contact that typically results in serious head trauma. This will include more changes to kickoffs (and a possible elimination of kickoffs), adjustments to punts, more rules protecting “defenseless” receivers and quarterbacks (best to not even get into t his one), increased penalties resulting from illegal hits (sorry James Harrison), and stricter rules about those who are returning to the game after suffering from head injuries, regardless of the supposed “grade” of the concussions (many medical experts do not believe that concussions can be graded as mild or major; rather, a concussion is a concussion). Additionally, advancements in equipment and medical science will allow the league to provide players will better protection against the injury, and better treatment after they occur. You will also likely see more education for both players and fans, because knowledge is power (just be prepared that not everyone will like what they hear).

We can dislike it and we can make fun of it, but I ask if you would rather see your favorite player fined $10k for a hit or the game completely taken away from us? Which would you prefer?

These adjustments and precautions are a step in the right direction, but there are two elements here that I still have questions about. One, the reality that many players may need to be protected from themselves and 2, exactly how culpable is the NFL in all of this?

Here is why I ask: Of the NFL and the concussion issue, Pear also stated, “The NFL hasn’t been honest about concussions, just the way the tobacco companies weren’t honest about cigarettes. They’re going to deny.”

This is not the first time I have heard the concussion lawsuits compared to the tobacco industry and it will not be the last. It’s a fair comparison.There is a significant amount of evidence out there saying that the NFL has not done enough to protect it’s players of the dangers of concussions and they have also not done enough to assist and care for it’s veterans that have been injured playing the game. In today’s litigation run society, these players have a case, and it’s frightening to think what this could turn into.

It’s a very complex issue and I suggest you read more about it here.

There is certainly more to come on this, and it will have a significant impact on the game going forward, but from where I sit, there still appears to be no general consensus from the current players on how the issue should be handled going forward (despite what they agreed to in the CBA). The concussion issue cannot just be solved by the league and it’s rules alone, but rather, the changes, must be accepted and respected by the players as well. This means a little less angry tweeting and cursing at Roger Goodell and a little more proactivity. The NFL is no doubt responsible for the care and treatment of it’s players, but just how much responsibility do the players share? I don’t mean to blame the players for having chosen to participate in a dangerous sport, but their behavior and attitude about prevention and awareness now could help protect them and future football players from themselves. Congratulations to all those tough guys and everything, but what happens after you are done playing? You need your brain, guys, You may not think you do, but you do.

So, again, let me be clear: This conversation is not only a reaction to “Bounty-gate” (not a fan of that term) or the suicide of Junior Seau (we don’t know the circumstances surrounding his suicide YET) but rather, the combination of the all events that have increased the dialogue surrounding head injuries. That said, I do hope that the narrative over the past few weeks has helped people realize that the bounty penalties were about a lot more than just Roger Goodell exercising his “power” over players and coaches and that it was about a larger fight and larger commitment to the safety of the players AND the league they play in. I can understand everyone’s immediate “everyone does it”  reaction, but I think it’s safe to say that as long as everyone keeps doing the things they are doing in the way they are doing them, the game will cease to exist.

One more bit of food for thought: There is an increasing number of parents who are going to prohibit their children from playing football all together if the sport does not change, and I don’t just mean at the NFL level. And frankly, can you blame them?  If you are a parent watching all of this happen, what you would encourage your child to do? Play football, or become one of the hundreds of lawyers involved in these lawsuits?

The Jets declined hard Knocks. You’d think they would be all over that. Could they be changing their ways?!

The New York Daily News was the first to report on Friday that the Jets had declined an offer to re-appear in the forthcoming season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” The news was music to Jets fans ears after an off-season filled with anonymous sources, controversial headlines and Tim Tebow.

I wrote about the team’s decision to sit out the show over the weekend, and it is still unclear who exactly made the official call to turn down the show. Rex Ryan admitted that he was unaware (and rather apathetic) about the team’s decision to not participate, despite reports suggesting he was against it and Woody was for it. It’s mostly irrelevant, but isn’t it perfectly par for the course? We know that the Jets have internal disagreements about just about everything, which includes but is not limited to their starting quarterback and how they will address a simple yes or no question with the media.

This leads me to believe that no, the team is not “changing their ways,” but rather, this is a case of someone who didn’t talk to someone else about a decision had a moment of clarity. Could it possibly lead to makeover? Maybe. But I’ll need to see more to believe it.

More proof the team has not turned over a new leaf? According to sources, the Jets have not ruled out the possibility of appearing in a feature season of the HBO hit, a revelation that surprises absolutely no one. Frankly, I won’t even believe the team isn’t appearing on the show until I actually turn on the TV this summer and see for my own eyes that they are not on it. Why is that? Because for as much as I have tried to defend Woody Johnson, he has done little to sway conventional wisdom from disbelieving that 99.99% of what he does is for publicity. (You’ll notice i didn’t say money, although money grows on a tree called publicity).

In fairness, it does appear that some involved with the team are changing their ways: Rex has lost weight (and looks amazing!) as did the majority of the defense, Tony Sparano has been brought in to save us from Schottenheimer slants, and Karl Dunbar could be installing some 4-3 looks. These are all little adjustments (and I’m making light of the situation because it’s a Monday) that could help the team improve in 2012, but they are not fundamental adjustments to the mentality and thought process of the front office,  and that is something that needs to happen. But can it? Will it?

Let me give credit where credit is due: Schottenheimer needed to go. Clinkscales needed to go. Perhaps some other changes are coming and the program will truly be made-over ver the course of the next few years. But I’m not convinced that the decision to turn down Hard Knocks, while an excellent one, was the beginning of the New New York Jets. But it was a step in the right direction.

According to various sources, the Falcons have been offered the starring role in the next installment of the HBO reality series Hard Knocks. Both the Falcons and HBO have declined to comment on the reported offer.

There was some discussion about the Jets appearing on Hard Knocks this season, particularly in light of the interest surrounding newly acquired Tim Tebow and the “circus act” that will be the 2012 New York Jets.  Wouldn’t it just make sense for a team that supposedly traded for Tim Tebow to sell jerseys and PSLs to appear on a reality TV show to sell more jerseys and PSLs?

We laugh and joke, but that actually appears to be the mentality of Jets owner Woody Johnson. According to a report from Adam Schein of Fox Sports, it is Woody Johnson, not Rex Ryan, as many insinuated and assumed, that has been pushing for the Jets to appear on the show. Apparently Woody informally “communicated” with the network about the the Jets appearing on this year’s show, saying the team would consider it, though they have not volunteered. (Ya know, because the publicity surrounding  the locker room and the Tebow trade just isn’t enough for one team).  According to sources, the Jets have not officially been offered the opportunity.

Perhaps Ryan’s apprehension about the team participating in Hard Knocks 2.0 was enough of a factor to prohibit HBO from asking the Jets back. Also according to the Fox Sports report, Rex and Johnson are “at odds” about participating in another of Hard Knocks, as Rex wants to focus on football and tone down the outside distractions.

To further complicate matters, in an interview last month, Mike Tannenbaum shared that he too had no interest in a Hard Knocks redux. But in usual Mike Tannenbaum is a bad liar fashion, the GM amended his comments in light of Woody Johnson’s public declarations, saying, if asked,  they would ” sit down and talk about it.”

Hmm. Just so we are clear,  Johnson, who is obviously more interested in publicity and out-headlining the New York Giants than he will ever admit, wants the team to appear on the show. Rex does not and well, Tannenbaum doesn’t know what he wants. The New York Jets, ladies and gentlemen. » Continue reading “Falcons Offered Hard Knocks, Woody and Rex At Odd Over Jets Appearing Next Season”

After issuing a statement congratulating the New York Giants on their Super Bowl win, Woody Johnson and the New York Jets have brought the brotherly love (?) to the next level by taking out a full page ad in today’s edition of the New York Daily News.

The ad acknowledges the Giants, the Mara and Tisch Families, Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese on their successful season, and reads :

“You played with passion and toughness, capturing a hard-earned and well-deserved championship.”

Darren Rovell, he of controversial and highly offensive tweets, felt the move was in poor taste, tweeting, “I understand the idea of sportsmanship, but most Jets fans don’t want to see the team publicly acknowledging the Giants win.”

Others have expressed their feeling that the move is over the top and a bitter reminder of the Jets “failed” season.

Me? I like it.

The rivalry between these two New York teams is long-standing and, depending on who you ask, bitter and contentious. But the fact remains that we share a city and a stadium and there is a time and place to step aside and give due respect. I would rather see these two teams (and their fans) celebrate one another’s success than argue, name-call and heckle.

I feel this ad sets the “tone” (pun intended) for how we should all strive to interact. Sports rivalries are a fun and undeniable reality, but it doesn’t hurt to also be a “good sport” and show class.

I recognize that my opinions differ from others and I would love hear what you think about the Jets move and the ad. Weigh in via the poll below.

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Per usual, the conversation following a New York Jets loss is centered around the future of young quarterback Mark Sanchez and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer in New York. After this week’s lost, you can also add questioning the judgement of Rex Ryan, Mike Tannenbaum and the entire Jets front office to the mix.

After Thursday Night's game, both Jets and Broncos players gathered in prayer. (Photo c/o The New York Daily News).

There will be plenty of time to look into these topics and more in the coming weeks. But for now, as much as I would rather not revisit the loss ad naseum, I did want to offer these game stats, from ESPN Next Level:

• The Jets held Tim Tebow and the Broncos rushing attack for first 55 minutes of the game using their base 3-4 defense and large substitute packages. Against that 3-4 in their first 11 drives, the Broncos averaged 2.4 ypc and 58 yards on 24 attempts. It resulted in 8 punts, a turnover on downs, a lost fumble and ONE field goal.
• On the final 11 of 12 plays, they put an extra DB on the field and strayed from the previously successful formula.
• Mark Sanchez struggled with when throwing with 2 or more TEs on the field.  He was 4 of 12 on such plays.

Here is something very interesting from The New York Post : According to analysis from the Center for Responsive Politics, the Jets rank among the top 3 NFL teams in political donations (approximately $148,000 since 2009). 80% of the donations went to Republicans.

Owner Woody Johnson has contributed $130, 000 to Republicans since 2009, second most among anyone related to the NFL. Johnson’s contributions have gone heavily toward Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, as have  contributions from Executive VP Thad Sheehy and GM Mike Tannenbaum.

The article points out the Giants owners and executives contribute to the Democratic party. The Giants are 1 of only 8 teams whose contributions lean heavily democratic (92%). Great. Even more reason for the two New York teams to go after one another.

I will refrain from talking politics on this blog but I don’t think Woody Johnson’s GOP support should come as a surprise to many Jets fans. It’s rather well documented.

In other news, Amani Toomer, former Super Bowl winning wide receiver of the New York Giants, told ESPN New York 1050 that if he were starting a franchise today, he would take Tim Tebow over Mark Sanchez. Toomer, who co-hosted “The Dave Rothenberg Show,” explained that Sanchez has limited “upside.” I present this to you only because I anticipate it being the subject of conversation. I could really care less what Amani Toomer thinks.

Jenny Vrentas of The Star-Ledger reported via her Twitter that the Jets re-added DL/TE Jarron Gilbert to the practice squad on Thursday and cut WR Dexter Jackson.

A word on the Shonn Greene injury : Greene’s x-ray on his injured ribs came back negative. His bruised ribs should not keep him from playing next Sunday vs. Buffalo.

Strangely, Greene told reporters that he could have gone back in the game. So…then why didn’t you, Shonn? I’m confused.