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Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterSep 15, 2024, 03:41 PM ET
- Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — New York Jets edge player Jermaine Johnson, a key part of the team’s young core, is likely lost for the season after suffering what is feared to be a torn right Achilles tendon.
“It’s unfortunately looking like that,” coach Robert Saleh said Sunday after the 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.
Johnson will have an MRI exam on Monday. If the tear is confirmed, it will put pressure on the Jets to resolve the contract situation with edge rusher Haason Reddick, who is holding out.
Johnson, who made the Pro Bowl last season as an injury replacement, went down while pass rushing Will Levis on what appeared to be a non-contact injury in the third quarter. The injury cart came out immediately as Johnson was surrounded by teammates.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who tore his left Achilles in the 2023 opener, said “my heart kind of dropped a little bit” when he saw on the Jumbotron that the injury was an Achilles.
“The good news is he’s a very young player,” Rodgers said. “He’ll have a long career. There’s a lot of great people out there to take care of him.”
Johnson spoke to reporters after the game. Typically, injured players avoid the media.
“I thought somebody stepped on me,” he said. “Then I looked at the replay and nobody stepped on it, and I was like, ‘Damn.’ But, man, I’m in positive spirits. I got my crying out on the field a little bit. I’m probably going to get a little more crying in tonight. But after that, you know, 24-hour or 48-hour mourning rule for me and we’ll be back to work.”
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Without Johnson for much of the second half, the Jets limited the Titans to seven points. They received a huge game from defensive end Will McDonald, who recorded three sacks to equal his production from last season.
“Tt felt like he was really bringing power to his game today,” Saleh said of McDonald, a 2023 first-round pick. “I thought a couple of his sacks — or at least one of them — he ran right through that right tackle. If he continues to develop that, he can be a double-digit sack guy in this league.”
The Jets’ plan was to pair Johnson and Reddick as their bookend pass rushers, with McDonald serving as a pass-rushing specialist. But Reddick – acquired in a March 29 trade with the Philadelphia Eagles – hasn’t reported because he’s unhappy with his contract. Without Reddick, their top ends are McDonald and Micheal Clemons.
Linebacker C.J. Mosley left with the game in the second quarter with a toe injury on his right foot. He was carted to the locker room and didn’t return. The Jets are hopeful he can play Thursday night against the New England Patriots.
The Jets also played without cornerback D.J. Reed (knee), who was a late scratch.
