Jets Owner Reportedly Killed Trade Over Madden Rating

The New York Jets are having another brutal season, and an unusual story in the Athletic isn't going to make things easier to stomach for the team's fans. The outlet reports that owner Woody Johnson killed a deal at the last minute in the offseason to acquire a top receiver for a bizarre reason—he felt the player's rating in the Madden NFL video game wasn't up to snuff. The player was Jerry Jeudy of the Denver Broncos, who was instead picked up by the Cleveland Browns and is having a banner season with more than 1,000 yards in receptions.

As for the Jets, they are 4-10 and have extended their streak of not making the playoffs to 14 years—the longest such drought among the major sports leagues in North America, per Fox Sports Radio. QB Aaron Rodgers presumably could have used another big-game receiver as a target this year. The Athletic story suggests Johnson has been unduly swayed in his decisions by his teenage sons, which the team denied. As for Jeudy, he tweeted about the report by jokingly blaming former player Chad Johnson, who works for Madden, per Bleacher Report. When Johnson responded it was a "good thing" because Jeudy is "shining" now, Jeudy asked, "So are you going to improve my rating?" (More New York Jets stories.)