The fact that his Jets are a mere 60 minutes away from their first Super Bowl in 41 years hasn’t eased the pain for Woody Johnson, whose life in the days since the tragic loss of his daughter Casey has been one racked with wildly conflicting emotions.
“It’s two different worlds,’’ Johnson said today, making his first public comments since Casey Johnson was found dead in her Los Angeles home on Jan. 4 with the cause of death not yet determined.
As Johnson has grieved over the loss of his daughter, the Jets have been on one of the most magical runs in franchise history, charging to Sunday’s AFC Championship game against the Colts in Indianapolis and enjoying the most success the team has had in the 10 years since he purchased the team.
Yet instead of reveling in the team’s success, Johnson has been emotionally wrecked by the death of his daughter.
“One doesn’t help the other, (because) the other is reality,” Johnson said, several times pausing to fight back tears during the interview. “There’s no way to bring her back. I wish I could change it, but I can’t.”
Johnson called this period “a brutal couple of weeks personally,’’ adding, “It’s been a see-saw in terms of (grieving and) the business of the team.’’
When the Jets won the wild-card playoff game against the Bengals two weeks ago, head coach Rex Ryan presented Johnson with the game ball in the locker room in a moment drenched with emotion as both Johnson and Ryan shed tears.
“When I got that ball that was just too many things hitting me at once,’’ Johnson said. “When you have a major loss, you have to show your emotions.’’
Johnson said, “On a personal level I think of (his daughter’s death) all the time.’’
He said he went to that game in Cincinnati five days after Casey died because “I thought, geez, it would be kind of weird if I had asked the players to come to play a game after they had tragedy in their family and I don’t come, so I had to do it.’’
Jets players have shown support for their owner, desperately wanting to finish the job for him, win Sunday’s AFC title game then a Super Bowl victory.
“I’m glad our winning steak can give him a little happiness in the hardest moment of his life,’’ Jets kicker Jay Feely said. “I talked to him today. He was kind of his normal self, but you know how difficult this is for him. So when you give him a hug there’s more meaning in that hug than, ‘Hey, I’m excited about the game,’ and it’s unspoken.’’
Right tackle Damien Woody said, “I know it’s been tough on him and his family, so whatever kind of joy the team can give him, we want to give it to him. I’m sure everything is kind of bittersweet for him right now. I’m just happy for him being one game away from the Super Bowl.’’
Long snapper James Dearth, who lost his mother earlier this season, said Johnson “was real comforting; he gave me a lot of comforting words.’’
One of Johnson’s staple activities on game days is standing outside the locker room as the players enter following games and shaking the hands of every one of them.
“Not a lot of owners do that,’’ Woody said.
“Win or lose he’s there shaking your hand; that kind of lifts the players up,’’ Dearth said. “You want to do nothing but good things for him. You just want to win for him.’’