Jets' Jermaine Johnson To Return Sunday Vs. Broncos, Says Defense Held Players-only Meeting

The Jets will get a much-needed defensive reinforcement on Sunday when they take on the Denver Broncos in London, looking to get their first win of the 2025 season.

Linebacker Jermaine Johnson will play in the Week 6 contest after missing the past three games with an ankle injury, head coach Aaron Glenn said Friday before practice.

"Jermaine, ready to go. Kene [Nwangwu], ready to go. Looking forward to seeing those guys out there playing," Glenn said. 

The 2023 Pro Bowler was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, his first time practicing since suffering the injury in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills. He practiced again Friday and spoke to media afterward, discussing how he's been able to stay patient while recovering.

"It's been alright. Obviously I just want to go help, I just want to go help, I want to contribute," Johnson said. "First thing's first, you got to make sure you're doing everything the right way. Don't want to make something big from something little. Just make sure everything's OK and we definitely feel like it is now."

The former first-round pick played in just two games last year before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans, so there was some concern after he went down with an ankle injury in September. Johnson said he took the time to heal and made sure "it's not tied to anything else."

"Just a little tweak of the ankle," Johnson said. "You just want to make sure it's not tied to anything else and make sure everything's done the right way. Because you know, an Achilles injury definitely can come back real fast. Playing a lot, you just want to make sure everything's good, you want to make sure you don't want to mess up anywhere and that's what we're doing."

Johnson has made seven total tackles (two solo, five assisted) with a pass defended over the two games he's played this season. He said it's felt "a little s---ty" watching the team's games while sidelined, and knowing things need to change, mentioning the defense had a players-only meeting before traveling to London. 

"Just taking full accountability, 100 percent," Johnson said. "We had a players-only meeting and just everybody was on the same page. We have to be better. We can't be the reason we lose, that can't happen. We have too much talent. 

"Coach AG has had our back in terms of how he's run this thing, instilling certain culture in here, and we got to have his back by putting a good product out there. That's our job. We definitely take full accountability. We're just talking about what we need to do different heading into this week and utilize this full week out here, sort to say like another week of camp within the season, we get blessed to have that. Just utilizing this time and just putting a good product on the field on Sunday."

Johnson added that the team is filled with "nothing but high character, high quality" guys in the locker room, noting everyone was receptive, calling them "thumb pointers before finger pointers." He and the defense will now look to get after Broncos QB Bo Nix, who's only been sacked five times in five games while leading Denver to a 3-2 record to start the season.

"I just remember playing them in 2023 and most of those guys are still out there, so I'm just excited to play," Johnson said.

The Jets' defense held a players-only meeting recently

Jermaine Johnson on the message of the meeting: "We have to be better - we can't be the reason we lose. We have too much talent." pic.twitter.com/0HmcVW9OAu

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) October 10, 2025