AFC Notes: Ryan Kelly, Brian Callahan, Colts, Jets, Titans

Colts

• Colts C Ryan Kelly (knee) said he has a “high chance” to play in Week 16 against the Titans, via Mike Chappell. 

Jets

• According to the Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Zack Rosenblatt and Mike Silver, the Jets might have a problem with how involved owner Woody Johnson is, with over 20 sources including current and former players, coaches and executives painting a dysfunctional picture of how things work behind the scenes in New York.
• The leading anecdote was Johnson vetoing a trade for WR Jerry Jeudy because his Madden rating wasn’t high enough, but there were plenty of other criticisms. People with the team agreed with former Patriots HC Bill Belichick‘s “ready, fire, aim” criticism: “Woody is just acting on instinct. With Woody, it’s like, ‘I’m right — prove me wrong.’ You just don’t know what to expect … He’s been right enough, just with his random opinions, that (a bad decision) doesn’t dissuade him. And when he’s wrong, who’s gonna hold him accountable?”
• A current executive with the Jets told the Athletic: “Your job becomes managing Woody. That’s not unique for an NFL GM — the difference here is that not only are you managing Woody, but you have to manage all the people who influence him. That could be family, that could be media, that could be people in the building.”
• One particular bone people had to pick with Johnson was over the influence of his young sons Brick Johnson and Jack Johnson, neither of whom are old enough to drink yet. It prompted former GM Joe Douglas to quip to associates that “I answer to a teenager,” and a current exec with the team told the Athletic: “When we’re discussing things, you’ll hear Woody cite something that Brick or Jack read online that’s being weighed equally against whatever opinion someone else in the department has.”
• That could be how ratings from the Madden video game have become relevant to the 77-year-old Johnson, as in addition to the Jeudy situation, Johnson referenced G John Simpson‘s low awareness rating in the game when the team was considering signing him.  
• However, a spokesperson with the team pushed back on the idea that the boys had undue influence on Johnson, telling the Athletic: “It is used as a reference point; it is not determinative. It’s really sad that an adult would use a misleading anecdote about teenagers to make their father look bad. It’s ridiculous, quite honestly, the idea that this was used to influence the opinion of experienced executives. (The sons) have no roles in the organization. It’s completely ridiculous to suggest that any outside info is intended to replace the opinions of (Johnson’s) staff.”

Titans

Titans HC Brian Callahan thinks criticism about their 3-11 team being “soft” mentally and physically is an unfair assessment and expressed resentment about the statement. 

“I think to be honest with you, I think that’s complete and total bulls—t, if you want my honest opinion,” Callahan said, via the team’s YouTube. “These guys are tough f—kers, man, they go after it every day. They play hard as hell, and at no point, at no point, have we ever put on tape at any point this season that this is a soft football team. I can’t even wrap my mind around how that would even be a conversation. I mean, just because we don’t win games doesn’t mean we’re soft… that makes me relatively angry that that would be some presumption. That means you just don’t watch s—t. You don’t know what you’re talking about, you don’t know what you’re looking at. So, I’m not going to stand for anybody calling this football team soft.”