NFL

Jets owner: Winning games, not PSLs, my top priority

NOT SELLING SEATS: Jets owner Woody Johnson (top) said Tim Tebow (below) was not acquired in order to sell more PSLs, but to help Gang Green win football games. (
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Woody Johnson showed a range of emotions during a 10-minute chat with reporters yesterday at Jets practice.

The Jets owner expressed disappointment over his team’s record, optimism about its future and defiance about his motivation. Johnson spoke to reporters who regularly cover the team for the first time since the season began.

“I didn’t sign up for a 3-6 season,” Johnson said. “We haven’t had one of these in a while. I’m not happy about it. Yet, I am optimistic that some of these things can be corrected.”

Johnson grew animated when asked about the trade for quarterback Tim Tebow and the theory he was the driving force behind it in an effort to create headlines and sell personal seat licenses (PSLs).

“This, I really want to clean up,” Johnson said. “You guys have been accusing me — this phony story — about me being more concerned with PSLs or cash or something else. My job 1, 2 and 3 is to win games. That’s why I got into football to begin with. It’s to win games. It’s not to sell PSLs or anything else. My job is to win games. That’s what my passion is. That’s what I want to do. That’s why I’m spending all this time in this organization. It’s not to sell PSLs or to sell hot dogs. It’s to win games. That’s my job. I take it very seriously.”

Johnson said he did not push general manager Mike Tannenbaum to acquire Tebow from Denver.

“My involvement is the same with any player we bring in — a free agent or draft,” Johnson said. “The final decision … there’s a process involved and the coaches and the general manager make those decisions. He’s no different than any other player.”

The Jets have been in a tailspin of late, losing their last three games and falling victim to controversy this week with anonymous quotes criticizing Tebow in a published report. Johnson said losing has been a “miserable experience,” but he believes the team will win Sunday against the Rams.

Johnson stopped short of giving Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan a vote of confidence, citing a policy of never discussing evaluations in the middle of the season. Tannenbaum and Ryan went to the AFC Championship Game in each of their first two seasons together, but the team is 11-14 since losing to Pittsburgh in the AFC title game two years ago.

“I think the record says what’s going on,” Johnson said when asked if he’s happy with the job Tannenbaum and Ryan have done. “We’re a 3-6 team. Are we happy? Are they happy? Are the players happy? I know the fans aren’t happy. The answer is no. We’re not happy with 3-6.”

The Jets are coming off a 28-7 beating by the Seahawks, their third straight loss that has put their playoff hopes on life support.

“[I’m] in a lot of pain this week — again,” Johnson said. “To lose in this game, it’s a miserable experience. … It’s tough, tough to lose any game, particularly as many games as we’ve lost this year.”

Four of the Jets’ six losses have come by 17 points or more. Despite that, Johnson said he feels the Jets are close to turning it around.

“We’ve been in almost every game,” Johnson said. “It’s just been kind of careless errors — foot faults, penalties, things like that particularly at lethal times. We play well and then we make those kinds of errors. That’s cost us. If we eliminate those, we’re going to do well.”

He probably meant false starts when he said “foot faults.”

As for the anonymous players ripping Tebow, Johnson said they were “cowardly,” but the incident could bring the team closer together.

He also supported Mark Sanchez when asked if he still views him as their franchise quarterback.

“He is our franchise quarterback,” Johnson said. “I don’t view him that way. That’s what he is.”