Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver of The Athletic detailed a troubling work environment within the New York Jets under Woody Johnson on Thursday, and that reportedly includes a group of confidants for the team owner who do anything but inspire confidence among employees.
"Multiple Jets employees refer to the group of men as 'The Bobs,' a nod to the condescending corporate efficiency consultants from the film 'Office Space,'" The Athletic reported. "The arrival of 'The Bobs' has only heightened a sense of dread around the building, where some employees don't feel like they can speak freely."
According to the report, these confidants are from Johnson's investment group and have done things such as attend football meetings, some of which were about the NFL draft and potential free agent targets.
They have also interviewed different employees, which surely inspired comparisons to "The Bobs" since those characters in Office Space famously sit various employees down and ask about their day-to-day contributions.
While a Jets spokesperson said Johnson valued the independent feedback, one executive painted a different picture.
"There's no nice way to say what we need to say, which is: Unless we drastically alter our culture and the way we do things from the top down, we have no chance," the executive said. "There's not a comfortable environment where you can speak your mind and try to address things that could improve the situation. You have to tiptoe around it."
Considering how important the upcoming offseason will be for the Jets, the apparent inability to speak freely about improvements needed figures to be a problem.
New York needs to hire a new head coach and general manager while also improving a roster that is 4-10 this season. There are looming questions about the futures of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams, among others, and many steps need to be taken to close the gap on the Buffalo Bills in the division.
Taking those steps may require a change in the overall work environment permeating through a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs since the 2010 campaign.
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