Jets Insider Clarifies How 'Madden Rating' Impacted Trade With Broncos

In one of the most bizarre front office stories in recent memory, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson allegedly killed a trade with the Denver Broncos for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy over Jeudy's rating in the Madden NFL video game.

Or did he?

While such a story might have been unthinkable if it came from a front office like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens or Green Bay Packers, the Jets have been so dysfunctional through the years that most people who read the report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic instantly believed it. 

But according to Jets insider Brian Costello of the New York Post, the trade being killed wasn't quite as simple as Jeudy not getting a high enough rating in a video game (though he did confirm that it was brought up).

Taking to X a short while ago, Costello reported that the Jets' trade offer for Jeudy several months ago was to send a fourth-round pick and third-string wide receiver Allen Lazard to Denver in exchange for the former first-round wideout. Costello alleges that the Broncos simply didn't want Lazard as part of the trade, ultimately tanking the deal. And while Costello was able to confirm that Johnson brought up the Madden ratings over the course of the discussions, he didn't veto the trade over it.

"Here is my understanding on Jerry Jeudy after speaking to several sources with direct knowledge: Woody Johnson did not kill the trade. The Jets offer was a 4th and Allen Lazard. The Broncos did not want AL. Did Woody bring up Madden ratings? Yes, but not as reason 2 nix trade," Costello wrote.