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Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey bring the Jets hope — if Woody Johnson stays out of their way

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Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey bring the Jets hope — if Woody Johnson stays out of their way

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Woody Johnson walked along the front of the New York Jets’ media conference room — bigger than the usual one, to accommodate a bigger crowd — and kept stopping to chat with some in attendance. He approached a group of photographers and asked what they thought about the team hiring Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey. He spotted some former Jets, teammates of Glenn from the ’90s, and shook their hands. When Johnson finished chatting with the media after the news conference, he lingered as Glenn was surrounded by a media horde. He bounced around the room, giddy.

Johnson hasn’t been part of a coach introduction in a while — not since 2015, when Todd Bowles was hired as the new head coach and Mike Maccagnan the GM — so maybe there was some pent up jubilance. He was in the United Kingdom when the Jets landed their last two coaches (Robert Saleh and Adam Gase) and general manager (Joe Douglas). All of them failed. But he’s convinced Glenn, a veteran Jets cornerback when Johnson bought the team in 2000, and Mougey are the tandem to pull his franchise back into the playoffs.

“Did you see the two guys we just introduced? That’s why,” Johnson said. “It starts from that. If you want to have sustained success you have to have the right people.”

Glenn said all the right things. Mougey has the experience, and references, to suggest he can thrive in his first stab as a general manager. They both have a plan to get the Jets back to the postseason, presented individually over multiple three-hour interviews that were part of the Jets’ wide-ranging search process. The team interviewed more than 30 general managers and head coaches, and landed on this duo.

But the only shot the Jets really have at success starts at the top: If Johnson doesn’t learn the right lessons from the failures of the Saleh-Douglas era, then the Jets will maintain their place in the NFL’s dumpster, reserved for teams that find more dysfunction than function.

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“Absolutely. I have to look in the mirror. I have to be a better owner,” Johnson said, the most self-reflective statement he’s ever made as the Jets owner. “I’m trying to be better. And I do self scout, and a lot of people scout for me. … I think I did it today by introducing the two leaders of this team, the second is to — I’ve got to have patience. I’ve got to let them evolve in these positions, which I think they will. I think it’ll be quick, but I think they’ll evolve.”

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The Jets are Aaron Glenn’s show now

Johnson has been prone to overzealous, impatient decision-making in recent years, demanding results while often skipping the process that leads to them. He was prone to micromanagement, pushing the GM to make moves for players who ultimately weren’t great fits, dictating changes to the day-to-day schedule, listening too much to media and social media and even, at times, meddling in lineup decisions, as he did in forcing interim coach Jeff Ulbrich to bench safety Tony Adams in 2024. Johnson’s impatience led to an impromptu firing of Saleh after a 2-3 start, which spectacularly backfired as the Jets lost nine of their final 12 games to finish 5-12 in a season that started, in Johnson’s eyes, with Super Bowl aspirations.

“You don’t believe those reports, do you? There was a lot of exaggeration, hyperbole. There really was,” Johnson said. “And you really have to take all that stuff with a grain of salt, because you don’t know how much — nobody knows how involved I was. Yes, I want Aaron Glenn to coach the team and I want the general manager to manage the assets and players and I’ll take an owner’s position. That’s what I’d like to do.”

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That Johnson is saying these things is certainly a good sign, as was the team’s interview and hiring process, a thorough one guided by former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, representing The 33rd Team. Johnson, vice chairman Christopher Johnson and team president Hymie Elhai were in on every interview. During those interviews, Johnson addressed his reputation.

“Getting to know Mr. Johnson and Christopher throughout this process, it’s clear that the Jets ownership is fiercely competitive, cares deeply about the players and the fans, and is committed to winning,” Mougey said. “I felt that in the interview process each time we met.”

Clearly, Glenn and Mougey were comfortable with what they were told. Of note, both will report directly to Johnson — a change from when Saleh reported to Douglas, who reported to Johnson.

“We had questions for each other,” Glenn said of Johnson. “I was here when Woody bought the team. My conversations with him back then were really, really positive. Coming back here on my second interview and sitting and talking with him, there’s no better person to work for when they sit there and talk, and strategize about having a winning commitment. He has that. That’s all I need to know. I look forward to it. I trust him with everything I have. I look forward to working with him.”

Maybe Johnson will actually give Mougey and Glenn the freedom to build their roster as they see fit. If he was enacting his will, he might force them to move on from quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the 41-year-old spent the second half of the season taking some subtle (and some not-so-subtle) potshots at the Jets owner. But Johnson, he said, is leaving that up to his coach and general manager.

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“They’ve got to take a look at how the team’s composed and what they think they need and put all that together,” Johnson said. “No, I’m not going to voice my opinion. That’s up to them.”

Again, the words are promising. The Jets have the seventh pick in the draft and, depending on how they handle the Rodgers and Davante Adams contract situations (trade, release or restructure), could have some cap space to work with this offseason. Mougey and Glenn are inheriting a roster with a core of intriguing talent — Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Quinnen Williams, Sauce Gardner, Quincy Williams, Will McDonald, Jermaine Johnson and an improving offensive line, in particular — with some obvious holes. There is a path to the Jets being competitive right away.

“I’m not going to tell you how many games we’re going to win,” Johnson said. “We’ll put the team together and maybe we’ll be in a better position. But they’re going to put a team together.” In his opening statement for the news conference, Johnson lauded Mougey’s ability to pick players both in college and on the pro personnel side, and was impressed with his emphasis on the importance of the relationship between the GM and the head coach.

At one point, Glenn turned to Mougey and said: “Darren, bro, we are in this thing together … we are going to do some magical things here.”

Even more important: The relationships between the owner and the coach, and the owner and the general manager. Maybe Johnson will stay true to his words and let Mougey and Glenn build out the team this offseason. But what happens if the Jets start slow? What if they lose a few games in a row at a key juncture? What if they miss the playoffs again?

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Only Johnson knows if he will, or can, stay the course.

“Strap on your seatbelts,” he said. “It’s going to be really, really fun going forward. I hope. I expect.”

(Photo: Ed Mulholland / Getty Images)

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Chargers’ Justin Herbert gushes over Madison Beer in heartfelt birthday tribute: ‘Changed my life forever’

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Chargers’ Justin Herbert gushes over Madison Beer in heartfelt birthday tribute: ‘Changed my life forever’

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert gushed over 27-year-old singer Madison Beer in a heartfelt birthday tribute on social media, offering fans a rare glimpse into the couple’s relationship. 

The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who normally shies away from the public eye, posted a series of photos to his Instagram Stories on Thursday. 

Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers warms up prior to a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 8, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

“Happy birthday to my favorite person of all time,” Herbert wrote in a post that showed the couple on the sidelines of one of his NFL games. “I love you so much. You’ve changed my life forever.”

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In another photo appearing to show the couple out to dinner, Herbert wrote, “I am the luckiest guy alive…”

Herbert, who turns 28 later this month, shared another photo of the “Make You Mine” artist petting goats and captioned the photo, “My goats.”

The couple was first linked together in August when they were spotted together on the set of one of Beer’s music videos in Los Angeles. Herbert and Beer were photographed in October on the sidelines of a Chargers game at SoFi Stadium, seemingly confirming the dating rumors. 

Quarterback Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and singer Madison Beer attend an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 24, 2025. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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The same month, Herbert went viral after blocking a rogue basketball from hitting Beer when the two sat courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game.  

Herbert signed a five-year, $262.5 million extension with the Chargers in July 2023. Despite proving himself to be one of the elite young quarterbacks in the NFL, Los Angeles’ offensive struggles have seen the team fall short in back-to-back playoff appearances.

Quarterback Justin Herbert (10) of the Los Angeles Chargers blocks a basketball from hitting Madison Beer as they attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 24, 2025. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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 The team’s offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, was fired in January and replaced with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who is regarded as one of the top offensive minds in football. 

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Shohei Ohtani’s second-inning grand slam propels Japan to a rout in World Baseball Classic opener

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Shohei Ohtani’s second-inning grand slam propels Japan to a rout in World Baseball Classic opener

The last time Shohei Ohtani was seen wearing a World Baseball Classic uniform with “Japan” across his chest, he was striking out Mike Trout of the United States on a ninth-inning, full-count slider to give his country a victory in the championship game three years ago.

So much has happened in Ohtani’s life between then and now. He has a wife and a daughter, a new interpreter, a new Major League team, two World Series championships and three more Most Valuable Player awards.

Yet unforgettable WBC memories continue. This time, he delivered from the batter’s box instead of the pitcher’s mound.

In the second inning of Japan’s WBC opener against Chinese Taipei on Friday at the Tokyo Dome, Ohtani smacked a hanging curve a few feet over the right-field wall for a grand slam, triggering an offensive onslaught that resulted in a 13-0 victory.

“I thought it might land as an out, so above all, I really wanted to get the first run on the board,” Ohtani told reporters afterward.

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Ohtani led off the game with a double and singled in his second at-bat of the second inning, when Japan put up a WBC-record 10 runs. He added a run-scoring single in the third inning, giving him five runs batted in.

In 2023, Ohtani hit and pitched Japan to the WBC title, batting .435 with eight RBIs and allowing only two earned runs in 9 2/3 innings on the mound. This year, he will only bat, saving his pitching for the Dodgers, who begin their quest for a third consecutive World Series title in three weeks.

Japan’s starting pitcher Friday was a decorated Dodger nevertheless. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, MVP of the 2025 World Series, threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings, walking three and striking out two while giving up no hits.

His command wasn’t pinpoint — he threw 53 pitches, 33 for strikes — but it is still spring training, even though the atmosphere was electric for Japanese players competing in front of a crowd of 42,314 that included actor Timothy Chalamet and superstar Bad Bunny.

“I know there will be some tough battles ahead, but if the fans and the team can unite and everyone can help build the excitement together, it will really encourage us,” Ohtani said.

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Russell Wilson escalates feud with Sean Payton, labels Broncos coach ‘classless’

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Russell Wilson escalates feud with Sean Payton, labels Broncos coach ‘classless’

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Russell Wilson and Sean Payton spent just one NFL season together, but tension lingered after a rocky year.

And it appears the tension that built up from that tumultuous stretch continues to linger.

Wilson’s interview on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, recorded before last month’s Super Bowl between Seattle and New England, recently resurfaced. 

In the interview, Wilson doubled down on his October comment labeling Payton “classless,” saying he felt slighted by his former coach’s remarks.

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Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos talks to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium Aug. 11, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

“[When] you’ve been on the same side or this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean, right?” said Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks as Payton did coaching for the New Orleans Saints. 

“I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but to take a shot, I don’t like. I don’t think it’s necessary, you know, I mean, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore. So, for me, there’s a point in time where you have to, I’ve realized, I’ve stayed quiet for so long. There’s a there’s a time and place where I’m not.

“I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too, and, you know, I’ve beaten Sean, too. You know, like we’ve been on the same place and the same thing. And so, it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”

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Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos during an a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High Nov. 19, 2023, in Denver, Colo. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

After a rocky one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Wilson joined the New York Giants last offseason. However, he was relegated to a backup role after just three games.

Rookie Jaxson Dart quickly showed promise once he had the chance to start, but his season was briefly derailed by injury. Jameis Winston — not Wilson — stepped in for Dart in a handful of games. Dart threw three touchdowns in a Week 7 matchup with the Broncos, nearly pulling off an upset in what was eventually a close loss.

After the game, Payton said Dart provided a “spark” to the Giants’ offense.

“I was talking to [Giants owner] John Mara not too long ago, and I said, ‘We were hoping that that change would have happened long after our game,’” Payton said.

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The New York Giants’ Russell Wilson attempts to escape a sack by Dallas Cowboys defensive end James Houston (53) in the first half of a game Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.  (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Payton also said the Broncos would have faced less of a challenge had Wilson been under center.

“Classless … but not surprised,” Wilson responded in a social media post. “Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later though the media.”

Despite last season’s struggles and chatter about his football future, Wilson does not appear ready to call it quits in 2026.

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“I wanna play a few more years for sure,” he said. “I think, for me, I’ve always had the vision of getting to 40, at least. I think the game is different. Quarterbacks, we get hit. It’s not, you know, we get hit hard, but … there’s certain rules. I mean, back in the day when I started, bro, it was you just get [clobbered]. 

“I mean, so I feel like the game allows you to, you know, live a little longer, I guess. I feel healthy. I feel great. But I think, more than anything else is, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do you love the passion for it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice? Do you love — everybody loves the winning part of it, but it’s process. There’s a journey that you got to be obsessed with. And that part I’m obsessed with.”

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