Jets owner willing to mix it up on the field- Newsday

Jets' owner shows he's willing to mix it up on field
October 3, 2009 By RODERICK BOONE roderick.boone@newsday.com

Woody Johnson was minding his own business, standing on the sideline and observing some defensive drills at a recent practice, when he got the call from coach Rex Ryan to come off the bench ice-cold.

"He just came up to me and said, 'OK, Johnson, you're in,' " the Jets' owner said. " 'You're the next guy up. Do your job. Take the ball and try not to make too big a fool of yourself.' "

So Johnson, wearing his Jets cap and usual business attire - aside from the sport coat he removed before taking the field - got into position, serving as the quarterback in a drill in which linemen and linebackers go for the interception.

He extended his arms low, placing them under an imaginary center, got into a slight crouch and took a few steps back into the pretend pocket.

His first throw was . . . well, let's just say he wasn't warmed up yet.

"They made me do it twice,'' he said, "because I screwed up the first time."

Johnson dropped back again, this time getting his throw to the intended target. Linebacker Ryan Fowler snatched the spiraling pass, earning a few cheers from the defensive corps watching the scenario unfold.

Sure, Johnson attends practice regularly and enjoys tossing the pigskin around on occasion. But this was the first time he's ever done anything like that.

It was all spontaneous and wasn't the least bit choreographed, making for a great snapshot into the new atmosphere surrounding the franchise. It's helped launch the Jets to a 3-0 start heading into today's game against the 3-0 Saints in New Orleans.

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Barack Obama Ray Nagin Brad Pitt New Orleans Saints Ernie K-Doe "It's awesome," Ryan said. "You get the owner of your football team and he's sitting there, and our guys were requesting him because they know he can throw. They were like, 'Aw, come on, Boss.' So he just jumped right in there and did it. It's great. Everybody is intimidated. This is the head man, the head honcho, and he kind of humbled himself to go right in there and is like, 'All right, let's go, guys.' It's great. It really is. Guys see him in a totally different light."

The players savored Johnson's company that afternoon, simply loving watching their owner acting more like a kid than a 62-year-old.

There just aren't many owners who would've done that sort of thing for fear of getting their expensive work clothes dirty or flat-out embarrassing themselves. Johnson isn't your typical owner, though, and he has invested himself emotionally as well as physically since purchasing the franchise from Leon Hess' estate in 2000 for $635 million.

Johnson believes it's important to interact with his players regularly. Pretending to be the star quarterback for two plays that day gave him a better appreciation of what it takes to be a pro football player, just as the players got an up-close feel for the personality of the man who cuts the checks.

"That was something that was kind of cool," nose tackle Kris Jenkins said. "You see some owners, they are just kind of stiff and stern and it's all about the money; everything has to be so serious. For him to come out and do that shows that - yeah, he understands business, and I think he is going to always come out here and do what's best for this organization. It's his team, but at the same time, to see him enjoying himself and enjoying life, it gives you a little bit of comfort knowing you have an owner that has a heart, that it's about something a little bit more than making money."

This undefeated start can be partially attributed to the environment Johnson created by bringing in Ryan and changing the culture, not to mention the vibe Johnson gives off when he's around the team. He speaks to the Jets before and after games, praising them for their effort.

His team is undefeated through three games for the fourth time in franchise history, something that leaves Johnson downright giddy.

"I'm as happy as all the rest of the fans combined," he said. "I've never seen the fans more excited than they have been so far this year. I think they can detect something very, very positive is happening, and I feel the same way. It's really remarkable."

But no more remarkable than a 62-year-old owner taking on Rex Ryan's snarling defense and living to tell the tale.