{{Short description|American businessman and sports team owner (born 1959)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Christopher Johnson | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Christopher Wold Johnson | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|8|7|mf=y}} | birth_place = New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Businessman and sports executive | known_for = Co-owner, vice-chairman of the New York Jets | spouse = {{marriage|Doris Wong|2018}} | children = | mother = Betty Wold | father = Bobby Johnson | relatives = Woody Johnson<br>(brother) | alma mater = }}
'''Christopher Wold Johnson''' (born August 7, 1959) is an American businessman who is the owner and vice chairman of the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL).<ref>{{cite news|title=Christopher Johnson has complete control of Jets, including Todd Bowles, Mike Maccagnan|url=http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2017/09/chris_johnson_has_complete_control_of_jets_includi.html|access-date=November 6, 2017|work=The Star-Ledger|date=September 20, 2017}}</ref> He is a great-grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I (co-founder of Johnson & Johnson), and the brother of Jets chairman Woody Johnson who served as the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2021. He served as Jets chairman and CEO from 2017 to 2021.<ref>{{cite news|title=Woody Johnson nominated as US ambassador to Britain|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jun/23/woody-johnson-nominated-as-us-ambassador-to-britain|access-date=July 17, 2017|work=The Guardian|date=June 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Rapp|first=Timothy|title=Woody Johnson Returning as Jets Chairman After Serving as US Ambassador|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2927733-woody-johnson-returning-as-jets-chairman-after-serving-as-us-ambassador|access-date=2021-04-13|website=Bleacher Report|language=en}}</ref>
==Early life== Johnson was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States. He is the son of Betty (Wold) and Robert Wood Johnson III, president of Johnson & Johnson for four years. Johnson grew up with four siblings: Woody Johnson, Keith Johnson, Billy Johnson and Elizabeth "Libet" Johnson, in affluent areas of northern New Jersey. In 1975, Keith died of a cocaine overdose and Billy died in a motorcycle accident.<ref name=jets>{{Cite news|title=Behind the Jets, a Private Man Pushes His Dream |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/11/sports/football/11woody.ready.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all&position= |quote=He grew up in affluent areas of New Jersey, attended the elite Millbrook School in the Hudson Valley and worked menial summer jobs at Johnson & Johnson with the expectation of ascending to the top of the family business.|work=The New York Times |date=November 11, 2004 |access-date=February 10, 2010 | first=Duff | last=Wilson}}</ref>
==Professional sports== ===New York Jets=== Johnson has been an owner of the New York Jets alongside his brother, Woody, since 2000.<ref>{{cite web |title=Christopher W. Johnson |url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/team/front-office-roster/christopher-johnson |website=newyorkjets.com |publisher=New York Jets |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
In 2017, Johnson became the CEO and chairman of the Jets following Woody's nomination and confirmation to be the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ryan |first1=Chris |title=Jets' acting owner Christopher Johnson called every player after racist allegations against Woody Johnson |url=https://www.nj.com/jets/2020/07/jets-acting-owner-christopher-johnson-called-every-player-after-racist-allegations-against-woody-johnson.html |website=nj.com |publisher=Advance Local Media, LLC. |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref> Johnson served as operating head of the Jets during his brother's ambassadorial tenure. In his role as owner, Johnson oversaw the promotion of Hymie Elhai as team president, Joe Douglas as General Manager, and Robert Saleh as head coach.<ref>{{cite web |title=Christopher W. Johnson |url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/team/front-office-roster/christopher-johnson |website=newyorkjets.com |publisher=New York Jets |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> It was Christopher Johnson who fired Adam Gase following the 2020 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jets Chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson Informs Adam Gase He Will Not Return in 2021 |url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-chairman-and-ceo-christopher-johnson-informs-adam-gase-he-will-not-return |website=newyorkjets.com |publisher=New York Jets |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>
In addition to his Jets role, Johnson serves as a member of the NFL's Media Owned and Operated committee.<ref>{{cite web |title=Christopher W. Johnson |url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/team/front-office-roster/christopher-johnson |website=newyorkjets.com |publisher=New York Jets |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>
====Stance on Kneeling==== {{see also|U.S. national anthem kneeling protests}} Johnson has supported the collective actions of his players' rights and privileges to kneel or to stay in the locker room during the pre-game playing of the American anthem. While he was one of the NFL Team owners that voted for the policy enacted in May 2018 to penalize and fine any player who does not stand during the Anthem<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-owners-ready-rogue-anthem-policy-200717658--nfl.html|title=Some NFL owners ready to go rogue on new anthem policy|publisher=Yahoo Sports|access-date=May 25, 2018}}</ref> he has offered to pay the fines incurred by players who choose to kneel or stay in the locker room stating:<blockquote>"If somebody [on the Jets] takes a knee, that fine will be borne by the organization, by me, not the players." Johnson said. "I never want to put restrictions on the speech of our players. Do I prefer that they stand? Of course. But I understand if they felt the need to protest. There are some big, complicated issues that we're all struggling with, and our players are on the front lines. I don't want to come down on them like a ton of bricks, and I won't. There will be no club fines or suspensions or any sort of repercussions. If the team gets fined, that's just something I'll have to bear."<ref name="l066">{{cite web | last=Brito | first=Christopher | title=Jets acting owner: I'll pay fines if my players don't stand for national anthem | website=CBS News | date=2018-05-23 | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-jets-nfl-christopher-johnson-national-anthem-kneeling-woody-johnson-president-trump/ | access-date=2024-07-31}}</ref></blockquote>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{New York Jets}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Christopher}} Category:Living people Category:American chief executives of professional sports organizations Category:New York Jets Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:1959 births Category:New York Jets owners