'Fire John Idzik' Banner Flies Over Jets Practice
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- It's not easy being John Idzik these days.
The embattled New York Jets general manager was on hand for practice Wednesday at the team's facility in Florham Park when a plane flew overhead with the message "Fire John Idzik" in huge, red letters.
Jets owner Woody Johnson was there, too.
Uncomfortable.
"Trust me, I get it. I know our fans are really frustrated," head coach Rex Ryan said of the banner. "Obviously, we're very frustrated, everybody is. We want to win and all that type of stuff. I personally don't think it's appropriate. I'll say this: we're working our butts off. John, everybody is working their butts off to find a way to win, and that's really what it is."
The owner of Jersey Shore Aerial Advertising said the company was subcontracted to fly the message for "under $1,000," according to the New York Daily News.
And there's more coming.
The co-founders of FireJohnIdzik.com -- who said they had nothing to do with the banner -- announced they have raised enough money for three billboards near MetLife Stadium.
The website, with the sole mission of forcing Idzik's ouster, will launch one "static" billboard on Route 80 in November. It also purchased space on two rotating digital billboards.
In a statement Tuesday, the site said it would be accepting submissions via social media for the message on its digital billboards.
"Name one facet of his job that he does well," Greg Kohler, one of the website's four co-founders, told 1010 WINS. "When you look at Idzik he's not a good judge of character, not a good evaluator of talent, he can't handle the media, he doesn't hold his people accountable."
Co-founder Jared Koeppel said among Idzik's sins is the inability to draft young men who can play football, 1010 WINS' John Montone reported.
Founders Of 'Fire John Idzik' Movement Speak To 1010 WINS
"There's like 30 new players, or 33 new players on the 53-man roster that are his guys and I can maybe count two or three that are actually productive," Koeppel said. "I don't think Woody Johnson's paying this guy to learn on the job, this isn't an internship."
It's been a rough stretch for the Jets GM. After leaving millions in cap space on the table, Idzik didn't win over many fans during last Monday's awkward midseason press conference. Then came the website. On Sunday, the Jets lost their eighth straight game, falling to 1-8 on the season in Kansas City.
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