On April 27, 2025, Joe Douglas, the former New York Jets general manager, made headlines by revealing the team’s 2023 NFL Draft plan to target running back Jahmyr Gibbs, a move that never materialized. Fired in November 2024 after a 30-64 record, Joe Douglas’ tenure was marked by draft missteps and organizational dysfunction under owner Woody Johnson.
This article examines Joe Douglas’ legacy, his draft revelations, and the challenges that defined his six-year stint, offering fans a deep dive into a polarizing figure’s impact.
Background: Douglas’ Tenure and Departure
Joe Douglas joined the Jets in June 2019, tasked with rebuilding a franchise mired in a 14-year playoff drought, the longest in major U.S. sports, per ESPN.com. His tenure saw flashes of promise, like drafting Sauce Gardner (2022) and Garrett Wilson (2022), but only one winning season (7-9 in 2019) and no postseason appearances, per @JCaporoso. Joe Douglas’ 30-64 record, worse than predecessors Mike Maccagnan (24-40) and John Idzik (12-20), drew criticism, per CBSSports.com.
After a 3–8 start, he was fired on November 19, 2024, amid allegations of dysfunction. According to TheAthletic.com, Joe Douglas reportedly joked, “I answer to a teenager,” alluding to Johnson’s boys, Brick and Jack, whose influence irritated executives by using internet sources and Madden ratings.
According to YahooSports.com, the disarray was best illustrated by a disastrous deal for Jerry Jeudy, who was passed over by Johnson due to a poor Madden rating. According to NBCNewYork.com, interim general manager Phil Savage succeeded Joe Douglas, and in January 2025, Darren Mougey was appointed permanent general manager.
Draft Revelations: The Gibbs Miss
Joe Douglas revealed the Jets’ 2023 draft obsession with Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs in a recent interview with Jay Glazer. According to ClutchPoints.com, the Jets see Gibbs’ speed as a “triple threat” along with Aaron Rodgers and Wilson. Since being selected by the Detroit Lions with the 12th overall pick, Gibbs has accumulated 1,529 running yards and 13 touchdowns in two seasons, according to ESPN.com. According to ClutchPoints.com, Joe Douglas acknowledged that he kept his plans a secret, joking that disclosing them may have alerted clubs like the Lions, who acquired Gibbs before the Jets’ No. 15 pick.
The miss on Gibbs joins other draft regrets, like selecting quarterback Zach Wilson (No. 2 in 2021), who was traded to Denver in 2024 after a 12-21 record, per TheAthletic.com. Joe Douglas’ trade of defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers for “terrible value” and letting Sheldon Rankins walk also weakened the Jets’ defensive line, per @JetsTheory. His 2024 draft pick, quarterback Jordan Travis, remains a developmental prospect, per SI.com.
Organizational Dysfunction and Legacy
Joe Douglas’ tenure was hampered by Johnson’s meddling, including forcing the firing of assistant GM Rex Hogan and blocking coaching staff replacements, per TheAthletic.com. A Jets executive noted Johnson’s reliance on his teenage sons’ online insights over professional opinions, per SI.com. Joe Douglas’ reported frustration peaked before the 2024 season, with one source calling the Jets “the most dysfunctional place imaginable,” per YahooSports.com.
According to @JetsTheory, Joe Douglas’ roster did not gel despite selecting players like Wilson (1,103 receiving yards in 2023) and Gardner (88.7% pass defense rate) in the draft. In 2024, the defensive line finished in the bottom five.
According to TheAthletic.com, his 2023 acquisition of Rodgers sparked optimism, but the quarterback’s injury four plays into the season and Johnson’s subsequent proposal that he be benched highlighted the chaos. Joe Douglas was chastised by posts on X, such as @JakeAsman’s, for failing to sign a capable backup quarterback.
Why Douglas’ Story Matters
Joe Douglas’ legacy is a cautionary tale of talent undermined by dysfunction. His Gibbs revelation highlights missed opportunities that could have transformed the Jets’ offense, per ClutchPoints.com. For fans, understanding Joe Douglas’ challenges, navigating an over-involved owner, and rebuilding a perennial loser, offers context for the Jets’ struggles, per ESPN.com. As Mougey and new coach Aaron Glenn lead the franchise, Joe Douglas’ era, chronicled by a 4-12 finish in 2024, remains a stark reminder of the NFL’s fine margins, per CBSSports.com.
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