The story of the New York Jets' 2023 season largely revolved around untapped potential, with initial aspirations of a Super Bowl appearance giving way to an ultimately frustrating campaign.
Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson II, speaking to NFL.com on Wednesday, expressed that even after the disappointment of last year's 7-10 finish, the team's goal remains the same as it was then: "Super Bowl. Do or don't."
And until that ultimate goal is reached, he and the defense, much less the team as a whole, will not be satiated.
"I mean, that's the goal every single game, is to pitch a shutout, zero points on the board. So regardless of what the offense was going through, we know as a unit on defense that we had a standard we had to uphold that we set for ourselves, and that's zero points on the board," Johnson said. "So I mean, we didn't get that done, and so until that's done, every single game, zero points on the board, we're not satisfied, and to be quite honest, we probably still won't be."
While the offense was hindered by the turbulence at quarterback after Aaron Rodgers' season-ending Achilles injury, the Jets defense managed to put together a second straight season of dominance, as the unit finished third in the league in yards allowed and had 48 sacks, limiting teams to 16 points or fewer in eight contests.
For his part, Johnson's second year in the league saw him go from 14 games with no starts in his rookie campaign to starting every contest in his sophomore season. The 2022 first-rounder was second on the team with 7.5 sacks, and added 55 tackles, 16 QB hits, a forced fumble and his first career interception -- which he returned for a 37-yard pick-six -- to earn his first Pro Bowl nod.
Even with his increased role and success, Johnson doesn't feel he's really proven anything yet. He was grateful to become someone his team relies on to lead the defense, but with nothing guaranteed season to season, he feels a responsibility to never get complacent with his performance.
"All the success in the world is leased and rented. It's never owned. So yeah, you can enjoy the little accolades or success you have, but if you don't grind and bust your butt and go to work again and again and again, you're going to lose it. It's going to get repo-ed, so to say." Johnson said. "So just understanding, OK, cool, I had a decent year, not to my standard for myself, so I know I've just got to go back to work and work even harder and just keep a level head. Keep the highs not too high, the lows not too low, and keep having confidence in myself and showing up for my teammates."
Mirroring Johnson's personal ideology, the defense as a whole is not resting on its laurels of previous seasons, instead continuing to buttress the unit this offseason. New York lost last year's sack leader in Bryce Huff, but the Jets quickly filled the hole by trading with the Eagles to get pass rusher Haason Reddick to line up opposite Johnson. The veteran had 11 sacks and 23 QB hits in 2023 en route to a second straight Pro Bowl. New York also added former 49er Javon Kinlaw and has 2023 first-rounder Will McDonald IV to support Johnson and fellow Pro Bowler Quinnen Williams.
"When we've got a player, an electric and legendary, in my opinion, player like Haason, you can't help but get better. I'm excited to get out there, work with him, learn from him, I know he's got so many nuggets of information and knowledge he can share with me, and kind of just show me things that I don't know," Johnson said. "He's so level and so humble, and I'm just excited to have a guy like that on the other side from me."
There's undeniable excitement coming from inside and outside the Jets organization regarding the potential for a team that returns a a top-notch defense and on the other side should have a healthy Rodgers surrounded by even more weapons. But even with the team in championship mode, Johnson knows that the Jets can't look too far ahead, needing to work through each step along the path to what they hope will be a Lombardi in February.
"I mean, it's a lot of excitement, but the goal never changes. In order for us to get to a Super Bowl, we have to go 1-0 every single week," he said. "The defense's goal has to be to pitch a shutout every single week, and so that's where we're keeping our heads right now, and the goal is that if you do that enough times, we're in the big one."
