Jets pass rusher Jermaine Johnson confirms Achilles tear, likely out for 2024 season

NEW YORK — Two weeks into the season, the Jets have already lost a key defensive member.

In a video on his X account, Jets pass rusher Jermaine Johnson confirmed his MRI revealed he tore his Achilles during Sunday’s 24-17 victory against the Titans and will likely miss the rest of the season.

“It’s official, man, MRI just came back with negative information but positive results,” Johnson said. “I did tear my Achilles, but we good, man.

“We are in great spirits. We are going to get back right. This is another opportunity to brag about where I came back from. Let’s get it.”

Johnson, 25, an injury replacement in the 2024 Pro Bowl who had 7.5 sacks last season, suffered a non-contact injury during the third quarter against the Titans after quarterback Will Levis scrambled for 21 yards on the play. Johnson was on the ground for several minutes before the injury cart came out, and teammates surrounded him.

“I thought somebody stepped on me,” Johnson said on Sunday. “Then I looked at the replay and nobody stepped on it, and I was like, ‘Damn.’ But, man, I’m in positive spirits.

“I got my crying out on the field a little bit. I’m probably going to get a little more crying in tonight. But after that, you know, 24-hour or 48-hour morning rule for me and we’ll be back to work.”

Aaron Rodgers, who tore his Achilles four plays into the 2023 season, said his “heart kind of dropped a little bit” after discovering Johnson had an Achilles injury.

“Good news is, he’s a very young player that is going to have a very long career,” Rodgers said after the game. “There’s a lot of great people out there to take care of him.

“We briefly talked, I just told him I love him and told him I was sorry. He is handling it a lot better than I did so far. It’s going to be a big loss for us.”

Without Johnson, the Jets did find a way to come back from a 10-7 deficit to defeat the Titans, but injuries are piling up on their defense. Gang Green will be on another short week as it hosts New England on Thursday night, and the team could be without linebacker C.J. Mosley and cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Michael Carter II.

Mosley injured the big toe on his right foot against the Titans and did not return to the game. Reed dealt with knee soreness and did not play after testing the injury in pregame warmups. Jets coach Robert Saleh said, “Hopefully,” both Mosley and Reed can play against the Patriots.

Carter has been dealing with an ankle injury since training camp in August. After re-aggravating it, he missed some snaps against the Titans, and Saleh said Carter will be dealing with the injury all year or at least for the “immediate future.”

However, Saleh did say the Jets should be able to get him back on Thursday.

Because of all the early injuries, the Haason Reddick holdout situation continues to be put under a microscope. The Jets traded for Reddick on March 29 after sending a conditional 2026 third-round pick to the Eagles. On April 1, Reddick went to the Jets facility to take his physical and have his introductory press conference, but he hasn’t returned since.

Reddick has been absent because he is holding out, hoping to land a new contract. On Aug. 12, Reddick requested a trade after he and the Jets have continued to be in a stalemate.

Reddick was scheduled to make $14.25 million in the final year of his contract with the Eagles, which he signed in 2022. However, after missing the season’s first two games, he has forfeited two game checks totaling $800,000. With all the fines, salary and bonuses he has lost, Reddick has been fined close to $8 million.

If he holds out the entire 2024 season, Reddick will owe $21.75 million in fines. Without Reddick, the Jets starting pass rushers are now Micheal Clemons and Will McDonald IV, who finished with three sacks in the win against the Titans.

“We got the guys that we have in our room,” Saleh said on Monday. “The guys that we love, the guys that we’ve been working with and those are the guys that we are going to continue to work with until everyone figures it out.”