When you think of dysfunctional sports franchises, year after year, at the top of the list is the New York Jets.
Sure, you can blame the quarterback that year, this season it was Aaron Rodgers, who is now headed out of town, or the head coach like Robert Saleh who was fired during the season, but inevitably you have to come to the conclusion that a lot of the blame is on the man in charge.
That is exactly what the players believe in a recent poll. Jets owner Woody Johnson was not near the top of the list, but he stood alone as he was rated the absolute worst owner in the NFL. This was based on the grades that were issued on a report card the NFLPA released asking the players their opinion on various topics.
The NFLPA asked its members to create a “Free Agency Guide” in the form of a report card that ranks every NFL franchise in a number of categories. Some of these categories were food related, travel, training facilities and so on. They also asked about the teams' owners.
The report card wasn't just bad, it was the worst you can grade. Of the 1,695 players who graded their respective teams, New York Jets players graded Johnson as an F, and are the only team in the league to do so.
The Jets cut the food program, fired their dietician, but overall, they were upset with the direction on the field.
The NFLPA said the players (about Johnson) "cite perceived top leadership issues, with some describing issues as 'top-down problems." Culture, and lack thereof was also a main concern, "They talked about the culture -- it's a problem, top down," NFLPA chief strategy officer J.C. Tretter.
The Jets are turning to a new quarterback, a new head coach, and they have said it will be a new direction. The only problem is the man who just got an F grade is still calling the shots.