In a surprising expression of solidarity, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson purchased an over-the-top diamond necklace featuring 80 carats of emerald-cut and round gems. The diamonds spell out "Woody and the Jets," and the back is inscribed with the phrase “Think Big August ‘23.”
The 76-year-old Johnson made the big reveal during Tuesday's episode of Hard Knocks, an HBO documentary-style series that chronicles the trials and tribulations of NFL teams during the pre-season.
At the team meeting, Johnson took off his jacket to show off his new jewelry, crafted by the same New Jersey jeweler who designed star quarterback Aaron Rodgers' #8 pendant and Sauce Gardner's “Sauce” necklace.
The players in attendance were clearly delighted.
"I'm inspired by you, of course," Johnson told the players. "I've been doing this for a number of years. And when I see this, this August, and I see this team coming together, and the pieces we've added and the development that I've seen so far, it's absolutely incredible"
Johnson believes the time to soar is now for the hapless Jets — a team that hasn't participated in the playoffs for the past 12 years. But with the addition of four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers and promising young players, Johnson and Jets fans have high expectations for the upcoming season.
"We've got to take advantage," Johnson continued. "This doesn't happen every day. It's all up to you guys and all up to everybody in this room. You've got 15 million fans out there that are so excited that they can barely contain themselves."
Al The Jeweler (whose real name is Al Bekdas) posted photos and short videos of Johnson's "Woody and The Jets" jewelry and added the caption, "Truly An Honor To Work With @woodyjohnson4, Thank You For Trusting Me With This Project, Appreciate The Amazing Hospitality @nyjets." He punctuated the post with two emojis: praying hands and a red heart.
About a month ago, last season’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Gardner welcomed Rodgers to the Jets with a piece of jewelry that had the four-time Most Valuable Player grinning from ear to ear.
Emblazoned with Jets-green emeralds and white diamonds set in white gold, Rodgers' #8 pendant reflects the jersey number the former Packer and 18-year veteran will be wearing during his first season in the Big Apple.
Back in February, Al the Jeweler designed a diamond-encrusted “Sauce” necklace for the Jets’ first-round draft pick. That piece, in the shape of a hot sauce bottle, was reportedly made up of 20 carats of VS-quality diamonds.
Credits: Images via Instagram / al_jeweler.