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When things are going badly, it's good to keep a sense of humor about it. That said, now-former New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas probably wishes he wasn't so on the nose with his joke to interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich about getting fired by owner Woody Johnson.
“Jets owner Woody Johnson arrived in his helicopter on Tuesday morning during practice, catching everyone's attention. GM Joe Douglas turned to HC Jeff Ulbrich and joked, ‘If they pull me off the practice field, it's been an honor to serve with you.' The two initially laughed about it,” FOX's Jay Glazer reported Sunday (h/t Ari Mierov). “But Douglas was indeed pulled off the practice field and fired shortly afterward.”
Douglas was a polarizing figure in Jets Nation. While he was the GM who brought in the likes of Quinnen Williams, Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and other incredibly talented players, he also unceremoniously dumped No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold, drafted (and cast aside) Zach Wilson, and traded for Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. He is, without a doubt, the primary architect of the current 3-8 Jets.
That said, it does seem like there has been quite a bit of meddling — especially when it came to Rodgers — from owner Woody Johnson. Now, after Jets head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas were fired, there is a good chance that Rodgers is gone next season as well and the franchise start from scratch yet again.
The biggest problem with that is while Johnson's full attention, for better or worse, is on the team now, it may not be soon. The heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune was the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom under our 45th President Donald Trump, and it now seems like there is a good chance he will serve the country once again under 47th President Donald Trump.
