The Jets completed their first order of post-lockout business Monday morning when the business and football staff gathered in the auditorium at team headquarters in Florham Park.
Owner Woody Johnson told them to check their bank accounts when they returned to their desks because money they lost through pay cuts and furloughs during the lockout had been returned.
Johnson thanked everyone for their support and patience during the work stoppage. Jets coaches took a 25 percent pay cut during the lockout, and business-side employees took a one week furlough per each of the four months of the lockout.
The owner also posted a message to fans on the team’s website.
“I look forward to welcoming the players back and being with all of you when the team takes the field,” it said in part. “Your loyalty and passion help fuel us on a daily basis and drive our pursuit of a championship. …
“It all starts now. The players are returning, Mike and Rex have never been more ready, and Jets football is officially back. I hope you’re ready for what I’m confident will be a memorable 2011 season.”
After Johnson spoke, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan addressed the employees. Ryan gave a motivational speech that talked about the Super Bowl. According to NJ.com, Ryan said the Giants talk about the past while the Jets talk about what they’re going to do in the future.
“We have a saying in our building: When it’s tough on everybody else, it’s just right for us,” Ryan said, according to the team’s website.” It doesn’t surprise me that our organization came through this with flying colors.”
Ryan, in a voicemail to ticket holders, said the team will open up its offense.
“The ground and pound offense is ready to roll,” the coach said. “Sanchez is going into his third year. I can’t wait to see his improvements. We’re going to let it fly a little more than we have in the past and our defense is getting nasty.”
Jets players will be welcomed back to the complex Tuesday, and training camp reportedly will begin Sunday. The Jets and Texans will be the last teams to open camp because they have the latest preseason opener. They play on Monday night, Aug. 15.
“Yeah, it’s a possibility they could show up at midnight,” Johnson said of the players. “It remains to be seen if any will for us, but if they do show up at midnight, we’ll be ready for them.”
Johnson also addressed the pay cuts and reimbursement.
“At the beginning we realized that asking people to take 25 percent paycuts at this time would be a tremendous hardship. It was a shared sacrifice, in a period where we had unknown financial conditions,” he said. “I don’t think anybody was happy about it. I wasn’t happy that I had to ask people to do this. But now that the agreement is in place, we’re living up to our end of the bargain and we’re all moving forward.”
