It’s been a troublesome 12 months for Jermaine Johnson.
He missed the Jets’ last 15 video games after tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 2 final season and has been rehabbing to return ever since.
Sunday will likely be Johnson’s first time in motion since his harm, and he will likely be dealing with former Jets teammate Aaron Rodgers, who was launched in March. When requested what it might be like dealing with Rodgers, Johnson downplayed the matchup.
“I don’t care who’s back there,” he mentioned. “I gotta a job to do for this crew.
“Whoever the quarterback is, I receives a commission to place him down, so whoever is again there don’t matter.
Not solely did Johnson and Rodgers join as a result of they had been teammates for 2 seasons, but in addition due to their separate Achilles accidents. Rodgers suffered the harm first in 2023, 4 performs into his Jets debut following his commerce from the Packers.
Johnson, 26, ruptured his proper Achilles a 12 months later, and Rodgers helped him by way of the method. He used the identical physician in Los Angeles, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, as Rodgers did, and flew to California on a personal jet that Rodgers himself organized. As well as, Johnson mentioned Rodgers paid for the journey prices to fly out to the West Coast.
“I’m not going to sit here and be naive,” Johnson mentioned. “The preliminary factor was like ‘Wow, you can’t even write that. However truthfully, I’ve a job to do for this crew.
“Obviously, I’m going to joke around after the game because one of the first things I said to Aaron when he got here was, ‘I’m happy you’re here, I’m just mad I will never be able to sack you. But, I’m excited.”
When Johnson suffered his Achilles harm, he was an ascending participant. He registered 7.5 sacks in 2023 and was a Professional Bowl harm alternative. Now, he seems to be to return and even exceed that very same degree.
Lately, the Jets have had one of many higher defenses within the NFL. Over the last three seasons, the Jets completed within the prime 5 in yards allowed.
Nonetheless, these numbers final 12 months had been a bit deceptive. Throughout the last 12 video games, the Jets allowed 26.6 factors per recreation and had been 18th in yards allowed.
The Jets imagine that with the return of Johnson and the addition of defensive sort out Harrison Phillips, they’ll get again to their defensive normal.
“You can see the difference,” Jets defensive coordinator Steve Wilks mentioned about Johnson. When Jermaine got here again, you bought Will McDonald IV on the opposite facet, you bought Clem [Micheal Clemons], you bought Harrison [Phillips], and you bought Quinnen [Williams] within the center. It was totally different.
“The tape appeared like I used to be hitting quick pace due to the depth and the way they had been coming off the ball. So, it’s nice to have him again on the market. He’s doing an ideal job and actually simply becoming proper again in.
“You don’t really see anything in regards to fatigue, and that was my concern, not really trying to get him a lot of reps to get going.”
The Jets eased Johnson again into the fold after he was cleared to return off the bodily unable to carry out listing in August. He lastly started training throughout the last week of coaching camp, however Johnson didn’t play throughout the preseason.
“I’m excited, but not surprised, I like to say that,” Johnson mentioned. “I do know the person God has fashioned me into and this was one other factor he needed to place me by way of to let me hit the following degree.
“I’m doing every part I used to do. I really feel higher than I did. I’m nonetheless explosive and every part is there. Now, I’m mentally stronger, I’m emotionally stronger, I’m extra assured.
“I’ve never been seriously injured. But now that I have, it is like, ‘Ok, I can do that.’ God willing, nothing happens again. I just used to see guys get injured like that, and I’m like, ‘Oof, thank God that’s not me. But it was me and I be dammed if I wasn’t going to be strong enough to come back.”
