Editing New York Jets (section)

==Ownership==

===Harry Wismer===
[[Harry Wismer]], a businessman, had been interested in sports for much of his life when he was granted a charter franchise in the American Football League.<ref name="H. Wismer">Chastain, pp. 41–43</ref> Wismer was a three-sport [[Letterman (sports)|letterman]] in high school, and went on to play football for the [[University of Florida]] and [[Michigan State University]] before a knee injury ended his playing career.<ref name="H. Wismer"/> Undeterred, Wismer began his career as a [[Sports commentator|broadcaster]] with Michigan State and became a pioneer of the industry. Later, as the Titans owner, Wismer formulated a league-wide policy which allowed broadcasting rights to be shared equally among the teams.<ref name="H. Wismer"/>

Wismer, who had previously had a 25% stake in the [[Washington Redskins]], was interested in the American Football League and was given a franchise to develop in New York. Wismer, whose philosophy was who you knew mattered most, tried to make the team and the league a success.<ref name="H. Wismer"/> His efforts began to accrue debt as the Titans' first two seasons were mediocre with attendance dropping in the team's second year.<ref name="H. Wismer"/> The franchise was sold for $1&nbsp;million to a five-man syndicate headed by Sonny Werblin of the Gotham Football Club, Inc., in February 1963.<ref name="H. Wismer"/>

===Sonny Werblin syndicate===
Sonny Werblin graduated from [[Rutgers University]] and was employed by the [[Music Corporation of America]], eventually becoming president of the company's television division.<ref name="Werblin">Chastain, pp. 64–66</ref> With a vast knowledge of media, Werblin was determined to put the spotlight on the team.<ref name="Werblin"/> His first order of business, after changing the team's name and jerseys, was to sign Joe Namath to an unprecedented contract.<ref name="Werblin"/> Werblin's gamble would later pay off as Namath, who became a public star, led the Jets on to victory in Super Bowl III, though by then Werblin had sold his stake in the team.<ref name="Werblin"/>

Werblin's partners, Townsend B. Martin, [[Leon Hess]], [[Donald C. Lillis]], and [[Philip H. Iselin]], had a falling out with Werblin over the way the team was run—though the franchise had begun to make a profit, Werblin was making all the policies and decisions himself with little or no input from his partners, much to their dismay.<ref name="Falling out">Sahadi, pp. 142–145</ref> Though Werblin initially resisted their ultimatum to dissolve the partnership,<ref name="Falling out"/> Werblin agreed to be bought out in 1968.<ref name="Werblin"/> Werblin remained involved in the sports community and became the first chairman and CEO of the [[New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority]] where he helped to create the Meadowlands Sports Complex, including Giants Stadium.<ref name="Werblin"/>

===Leon Hess===
Leon Hess became well known for his [[Hess Corporation]] gas stations; however, he also played an instrumental part in the development of the Jets during his tenure as co-owner and eventual sole owner. Hess had often fought for improvements while the team was a tenant at [[Shea Stadium]] but generally stayed away from football operations, allowing his coaches and general manager to make football-related decisions.<ref name="Hess">Chastain, pp. 154–156</ref>

Becoming the team's majority stockholder in 1973, Hess bought Philip H. Iselin's share upon his death in 1976 after which only two of Hess' partners remained, Townsend Martin and Helen Dillon, who had inherited the stake from her father Donald Lillis, upon his death.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hess Family Hits Gusher In Jet Sale|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2000-01-12/sports/18133738_1_jet-sale-jets-playoff-leon-hess|work=New York Daily News|author=Gola, Hank |date=January 12, 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112125454/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2000-01-12/sports/18133738_1_jet-sale-jets-playoff-leon-hess|archive-date=January 12, 2012|access-date=March 23, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hess began to buy out the remaining partners in 1981 when he bought Martin's 25% stake for $5&nbsp;million.<ref name="Buyout">{{cite news|title=Sports Business; For Hess's Estate, It's a jets.com |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E05E1DD123AF937A25752C0A9669C8B63|work=The New York Times|author=Sandomir, Richard|date=January 14, 2000 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130091424/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E05E1DD123AF937A25752C0A9669C8B63|archive-date=January 30, 2013|access-date=March 23, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hess bought Dillon's stake three years later for another $5&nbsp;million, acquiring sole control of the team.<ref name="Buyout"/>

Hess had a passion for his team and took losses hard.<ref name="Hess"/> In 1995, following a mediocre 6–10 season under [[Pete Carroll]], despite generally shying away from football operations, Hess announced "I'm 80 years old, I want results now" during a conference in which [[Rich Kotite]] was introduced as the team's new coach.<ref name="Hess"/> After two unsuccessful years with Kotite, Hess heavily involved himself in hiring [[Bill Parcells]] in hopes to see his team again reach the Super Bowl. He did not live to see his dream realized, dying on May 7, 1999.<ref name="Hess"/>
[[File:Woody Johnson at NY Jets game (cropped).jpg|thumb|120px|Johnson at a November 2008 game]]

===Woody Johnson===
With the team for sale, two potential buyers were found in [[Cablevision]] and billionaire heir [[Woody Johnson]], whose grandfather [[Robert Wood Johnson II]] was a member of the family that founded [[Johnson & Johnson]].<ref name="W. Johnson">{{cite news|title=Man in the News; Philanthropist and Fan |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E0DC173AF931A25752C0A9669C8B63|work=The New York Times|author=Sandomir, Richard|date=January 12, 2000 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104050853/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E0DC173AF931A25752C0A9669C8B63|archive-date=January 4, 2013|access-date=March 23, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Johnson was unknown among the other NFL owners at the time of his $635&nbsp;million purchase of the franchise.<ref name="W. Johnson"/> However, Johnson had a passion for sports according to former [[New York Knicks|Knicks]] general manager [[Ernie Grunfeld]] and desired to own his own team.<ref name="W. Johnson"/> Johnson has been considered to be an enabler who wants the best from his employees.<ref name="W. Johnson"/>

Much like Hess, Johnson left many of the football related decisions up to his management team and tended to avoid the spotlight. However, upon hiring head coach Rex Ryan, Johnson had an increased presence as he molded the Jets into his team.<ref name="W. Johnson"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Behind the Jets, a Private Man Pushes His Dream|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/11/sports/football/11woody.ready.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&position=|work=The New York Times|author=Wilson, Duff|date=November 11, 2004|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909201919/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/11/sports/football/11woody.ready.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all&position=|archive-date=September 9, 2012|access-date=March 23, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Jets' Woody Johnson Leaps Into the Limelight|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/sports/football/28owner.html?pagewanted=1&ref=football|work=The New York Times|author=Bishop, Greg|date=March 27, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023034907/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/sports/football/28owner.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&ref=football|archive-date=October 23, 2018|access-date=March 23, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Christopher Johnson===
In 2017, Woody Johnson was appointed by President [[Donald Trump]] as the [[United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Borger|first1=Julian|title=New York Jets owner Woody Johnson to be US ambassador to UK|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/19/new-york-jets-owner-woody-johnson-to-be-us-ambassador-to-uk|access-date=November 4, 2017|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=January 19, 2017|archive-date=December 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201081937/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/19/new-york-jets-owner-woody-johnson-to-be-us-ambassador-to-uk|url-status=live}}</ref> Once his post was confirmed, his brother [[Christopher Johnson (football executive)|Christopher Johnson]] became a co-owner and took over the day-to-day operations for the team, including personnel decisions.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Slater|first1=Darryl|title=5 things to know about Christopher Johnson, Woody Johnson's Jets successor|url=http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2017/06/meet_christopher_johnson_woody_johnsons_jets_succe.html|access-date=November 4, 2017|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=June 23, 2017|archive-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107033435/http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2017/06/meet_christopher_johnson_woody_johnsons_jets_succe.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Woody Johnson's term as ambassador ended in 2021, and he took over ownership duties from Christopher.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cimini |first=Rich |date=January 21, 2021 |title=Jets' Woody Johnson to resume owner duties |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30755191/woody-johnson-resume-principal-owner-duties-new-york-jets |access-date=January 25, 2022 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>