Jets’ owner Woody Johnson on Roger Goodell: ‘He’s an honest person’
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is the latest NFL owner to give a good review to commissioner Roger Goodell.
While addressing his team’s rocky start to the season and current quarterback controversy, Johnson was asked his thoughts on Goodell, who is currently under fire for his handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence case. Many NFL fans and media want to see Goodell ousted as commissioner. There haven’t been any signs the owners are considering a move like that.
To Johnson, whose Jets were ranked the sixth most valuable franchise in the league by Forbes, with a value of $1.6 billion, Goodell has earned the right to continue with his job. Goodell has made the owners – and players, too – billions of dollars. That’s one reason he has support among owners.
“I haven’t talked to the league owners recently, we have a meeting next week so I’ll get to see them all,” Johnson said. “I think the general opinion is that Roger has over the last 15 (years) that I’ve known Roger and as commissioner for the last number of years – is that he’s an honest person, trying to do a good job. Normally very good judgment. I think the owners are going to be supportive.”
The Jets have their own issue with domestic violence as rookie Quincy Enunwa, a receiver on the practice squad, was recently arrested for an incident involving his girlfriend. The situation has now landed in court and the Jets are awaiting the outcome of the proceedings.
Johnson would not comment in depth on that pending legal matter.
What the Jets owner does see is the league moving in the right direction on the issue of domestic violence. The NFL has put steeper penalties in place for players involved with domestic violence incidents.
“I think that this has become a very, because of the nature of this one, everybody’s been piqued by this particular incident,” Johnson said. “We’re going to do better, hopefully a better and more sensitive job going forward as the National Football League, not as society in general. We can only do what we can do.”
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Kristian R. Dyer writes for Metro New York and is a contributor to Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KristianRDyer
