Donald Trump could make Woody Johnson the ambassador to the UK, which could help the Jets

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson was one of Donald Trump’s biggest supporters during the 2016 presidential election. He was a major contributor and part of the President-elect’s Victory Committee. Now as a reward for his patronage, Johnson is a leading candidate to be named the American ambassador to the United Kingdom. If he gets that job, it’s going to have a direct impact on how the Jets are run on a day-to-day basis.

If Johnson is appointed, some expect him to choose someone else to take over the team’s operations, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. It’s also likely that he would step down from the three NFL committees that he’s a member of: the media committee; business ventures; and the finance committee.

Every NFL owner plays a little different role in the football operations of the team. Some, like Jerry Jones of the Cowboys, are deeply embedded in the whole thing, making personnel decisions, etc. Others take a more distant role, leaving the football operations to their direct reports.

Johnson is one of the more involved owners. Not only does he willingly write the checks, he’s reportedly involved in decisions that affect the team on the field, including the move to bring back Darrelle Revis in 2015. However, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Johnson’s involvement creates bigger problems for the Jets.

Hiring someone else to run the team and deal with the coach and general manager on a daily basis, especially during the spring free-agent shopping season, could end up being a boost to the Jets, assuming they hire someone with a proven football acumen.

There still hasn’t been a decision whether or not Johnson will be named the ambassador to the UK. If he does get the post, he won’t be the first NFL owner working for the State Department. Steelers’ owner Dan Rooney was named the ambassador to Ireland in 2009.