Jets edge rusher Jermaine Johnson ready to go, can't wait to make impact
Jets linebacker Jermaine Johnson speaks with the media following a joint practice with the Giants in Florham Park, N.J., on Tuesday. Credit: Ed Murray
Jermaine Johnson is ready. He’s ready to steamroll an offensive tackle, sack a quarterback and then do his hammer-down celebration.
It’s going to happen, Johnson believes. Perhaps in Week 1 against former Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Jets will open the season against Rodgers’ Steelers on Sept. 7.
The moment can’t come soon enough for Johnson, the Jets’ fourth-year edge rusher, who tore his right Achilles tendon last season in Week 2 in Tennessee.
“I’m going to bull-rush somebody and put them on their back,” he said. “That’s what’s going to happen. You know, I’m back. So I’m just excited to get back out there.”
Always brimming with confidence, Johnson never had a doubt that he would be back for Week 1. He believes he can play now. The Jets are being cautious with him, though.
He was activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list last Sunday but hasn’t participated in practice yet and didn’t play Saturday night in the Giants’ 31-12 preseason win over the Jets.
Johnson will do more each week to get ready for the opener. He bristles at the idea that he might not be all the way back until well over a year has passed since he suffered the injury. He doesn’t expect to be limited at all.
“I don’t make excuses,” Johnson said. “In my opinion, I got a cheat code in my leg now. I got a strong Achilles and I’m faster, so that’s kind of how I look at things. I’ll be ready to go when my name is called.”
Johnson had some rough moments on his road back. He admitted he “cried a little bit” when he first got hurt. He also found it difficult to see the Jets lose close games. He felt he could have flipped the outcome if he were healthy.
Through it all, Johnson put his faith in God and believes he’s returned mentally and physically stronger.
“I like to use this metaphor,” he said. “The journey is like [there’s] a mountain and you’re in the car and you got a highway going to it.
“A lot of guys kind of focus on the mountain. They’re like, ‘Damn, that’s a long road. It’s going to take forever.’ But I’m just looking at the stripes on the ground pass. One stripe after the other, understanding that pretty soon I was going to reach the mountain. [I’m] pretty close. We’ll be there soon and I’m excited for it.”
The Jets are, too.
The 6-5, 254-pound Johnson’s ability to rush the passer, stop the run and play in coverage make him a valuable player whom the Jets missed last season.
Johnson finished second on the Jets in sacks (7 1⁄2), quarterback hits (20) and tackles for loss (11) in 2023 and had their only pick-6. He made the Pro Bowl as an alternate.
Linebacker Jamien Sherwood, the Jets’ leading tackler a season ago, said having Johnson back is “going to be amazing.”
Sherwood, who suffered the same injury during his rookie season in 2021, knows what Johnson went through the last 11 months. He told Johnson to “keep his head up” because there would be good days and bad days.
“I know what it took to get back to the level you want to be. So I just know he’s ready,” Sherwood said. “I’m excited for him to get back to a Pro Bowl status. Hopefully he can reach an All-Pro status as well. It’s just a blessing from God and it’s just a credit and testament to how hard [Johnson] works just to be at this point.
“He was his own motivation, because it is a long process. It is a long road. And you know, he made it back.”
Johnson’s return will give Aaron Glenn’s defense a big boost and add depth up front. Micheal Clemons had been starting in place of Johnson and has had a good camp. Clemons will be part of the rotation.
Glenn was impressed with Johnson when he coached him at the Senior Bowl in 2022. Glenn called Johnson “a hard-nosed, physical, violent player that’s very athletic” and said he would be “a huge part” of what the Jets do defensively.
“You don’t get a lot of guys that have the athleticism that he does but still be strong and powerful to hold up against the run,” Glenn said.
Johnson is looking forward to playing for Glenn, who made an impression on him shortly after getting the Jets’ job.
“He wasted no time when he got here, letting me know how excited he was to coach me and how much he expects from me,” Johnson said. “I was just as excited and let him know that those standards will be met or exceeded. So I’m excited.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
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