Jets fear Jermaine Johnson tore an Achilles, putting his season in doubt
Jermaine Johnson #11 of the Jets is carted off the field during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. Credit: Getty Images/Justin Ford
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jermaine Johnson left the field on a cart with a towel over his head, hiding the tears of a heartbroken player.
Jets coach Robert Saleh said the fear is that Johnson tore an Achilles on Sunday and that he’ll miss the rest of the season. The third-year edge rusher will undergo further testing on Monday.
The injury occurred with 4:22 left in the third quarter of the Jets’ 24-17 win over the Titans.
“I thought somebody stepped on me,” Johnson said. “I looked at the replay, and nobody stepped on me. I’m in positive spirits. I got my crying out on the field a little bit. Probably going to get a little more crying in tonight. After that 24-hour, 48-hour mourning, then we’re back to work.”
This is a crushing blow for Johnson and the Jets, who also lost C.J. Mosley in the first half to a toe injury (Saleh hopes Mosley can play Thursday).
Johnson made the Pro Bowl as a replacement last year and is one of the most important players on the Jets’ defensive line. He has the versatility, speed and athleticism to rush the passer, play the run, chase down players and even cover some.
The loss of Johnson could lead the front office to do even more to try to get a deal done with Haason Reddick. The Pro Bowl edge rusher is holding out for a new contract. The Jets have McDonald, Micheal Clemons and Takk McKinley to play the edge.
When it happened, Johnson thought to himself, “Ain’t no damn way.”
Johnson’s coaches and teammates were devastated for him. Saleh said he will “pray for a miracle.”
Defensive tackle Solomon Thomas suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2 in 2020. He felt for Johnson and told him he loved him before he left the field.
“Losing [No.] 11 is like losing the heartbeat for this team,” Thomas said. “My heart breaks for him personally, heart breaks for this team because of what we’re losing.”
Aaron Rodgers tore an Achilles tendon in Week 1 last season and knows all too well what the recovery and rehab is like. Rodgers said his “heart dropped a little bit” when he learned it was Johnson’s Achilles.
“The good news is he’s a very young player. He’s going to have a long career,” Rodgers said. “We briefly talked. I just hugged him, told him I loved him and told him I was sorry. He’s handling it a lot better than I did so far. It’s going to be a big loss for us.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
