By this point, it’s been well established that Jerry Jeudy is a polarizing player.
But while the criticism that Mark Schlereth and Steve Smith Sr. have directed toward the wide receiver in recent years has typically come as a result of his play on the field, it was another factor that resulted in New York Jets owner Woody Johnson nixing a trade to acquire Jeudy this past offseason.
His Madden video game player rating.
Yes, you read that right: an NFL owner allegedly pulled out of a trade for a player because he wasn’t rated highly enough in a video game. That’s according to a new report from The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver, which sheds new light on the Jets’ ongoing dysfunction.
“[Then-Jets general manager Joe] Douglas and his Broncos counterpart, George Paton, were deep in negotiations for a trade that would have sent Jeudy to the Jets and given future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers another potential playmaker,” the report reads. “The Broncos felt a deal was near. Then, abruptly, it all fell apart. In Denver’s executive offices, they couldn’t believe the reason why.
“Douglas told the Broncos that Johnson didn’t want to make the trade because the owner felt Jeudy’s player rating in ‘Madden NFL,’ the popular video game, wasn’t high enough, according to multiple league sources. The Broncos ultimately traded the receiver to the Cleveland Browns. Last Sunday, Jeudy crossed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the first time in his career.”
Woody Johnson nixed a trade for Jerry Jeudy last offseason because he felt his Madden rating was too low.
Sources describe his impulsive over-involvement as the root of the Jets’ dysfunction.
More, with @ZackBlatt and @MikeSilver, and me: https://t.co/OYf5plIVHM pic.twitter.com/uYHCKAMCFX
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) December 19, 2024
For what it’s worth, Jeudy entered the 2024 season with a 81 overall rating in Madden 25. He has since improved his overall rating to an 83 while tallying 70 receptions for 1,052 yards and four touchdowns in what’s been a career-year with a team that wasn’t scared away by his lackluster video game rating, the Cleveland Browns.
Apparently, basing player evaluations off of Madden ratings is a common practice for the Jets. According to The Athletic’s reporting, Johnson also pushed back on the team signing free agent offensive guard John Simpson due to his awareness rating in the game, although the team wound up signing him anyways.
Obviously, the idea of a team making personnel decisions based on video game ratings is absurd and speaks to the level of dysfunction the Jets — and their fans — are currently enduring due to the franchise’s ownership. After all, you know things are especially bad when even the Cleveland Browns are benefitting from your blunders.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.