You probably know the name from a bottle of baby powder or a bandage box. Or maybe you know him as the guy pacing the sidelines at MetLife Stadium while Jets fans scream about another intercepted pass.
Who is Woody Johnson? Robert Wood Johnson IV, known to everyone as Woody, is a man who exists at the center of a very expensive Venn diagram involving a multibillion-dollar pharmaceutical inheritance, a long-suffering NFL franchise, and the highest levels of American political power. He isn't just "rich." He's "buy-a-football-team-with-cash-and-still-have-billions-left" rich.
But behind the suit and the owner’s box, his story is actually a lot more complicated than just being a lucky heir. It’s a mix of massive business wins, heartbreaking family health battles, and a polarizing stint as a diplomat in London. Honestly, to understand Woody, you have to look at how he spends his money—because he spends it in ways that usually make a very loud noise.
The Johnson & Johnson Legacy
Woody didn’t build the empire; he was born into it. He’s the great-grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I, one of the three brothers who founded Johnson & Johnson back in 1886.
While he worked a few summer jobs at the company as a kid, he didn't climb the corporate ladder there. He wasn't interested in being a middle manager at a Band-Aid factory. Instead, he went his own way, eventually heading up The Johnson Company, Inc., a private investment firm in New York.
Even though he wasn't running J&J day-to-day, the family name gave him a seat at every important table in America. He’s the only family member who was ever invited to join the board of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which is one of the biggest philanthropic organizations in the world.
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Buying the New York Jets
In 2000, the sports world was stunned when Woody dropped $635 million to buy the New York Jets from the estate of Leon Hess. At the time, it was the third-highest price ever paid for a pro sports team. People wondered if a guy from a "shampoo family" could handle the gritty, loudmouthed world of New York football.
The early years weren't actually that bad. Under his watch, the Jets moved into the billion-dollar MetLife Stadium, which they share with the Giants. They had some decent runs, especially during the Rex Ryan era with those back-to-back AFC Championship appearances in 2009 and 2010.
But lately? It’s been rough.
As of early 2026, the Jets have struggled through a historic playoff drought. Woody has been criticized for being "too hands-on" or "too impatient." He’s the guy who pushed for the Aaron Rodgers trade in 2023, a move that felt like a "Super Bowl or bust" bet that hasn't exactly paid off the way fans hoped. He even admitted in late 2025 that he's "not a good owner in terms of winning," which is a level of self-awareness you don't often see from billionaires.
To try and fix things, he shook everything up in January 2025 by hiring Aaron Glenn as head coach and Darren Mougey as GM. He’s trying to take a "step back" and let the football people do football things, but for a guy who’s used to being in charge, that’s easier said than done.
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The London Years: Ambassador Johnson
Woody has always been a heavy hitter in the Republican party. He wasn't an early Trump supporter—he actually backed Jeb Bush first—but once he got on board, he went all in. He was a major fundraiser for the 2016 campaign, and that loyalty was rewarded with one of the "plum" jobs in the State Department: U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
From 2017 to 2021, Woody lived in London at Winfield House. He was there for some of the biggest moments in modern British history, including the messy "Brexit" transition.
He wasn't a career diplomat, and it showed. He was known for his blunt, businessman-style approach. He famously suggested that the UK should be open to American agricultural products (like "chlorinated chicken") in a post-Brexit trade deal, which caused a bit of an uproar in the British press.
While he was in London, his brother Christopher Johnson ran the Jets. When Woody returned to the U.S. in 2021, he took the reins back, but his time in the UK clearly changed him. He even tried to buy the London soccer club Chelsea F.C. for £2 billion in 2022. That deal fell through, but he eventually got his foot in the door of the Premier League by buying a 43% stake in Crystal Palace F.C. in July 2025.
A Legacy of Philanthropy
You can't talk about who Woody Johnson is without mentioning why he’s so obsessed with medical research. It’s personal.
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Two of his daughters faced massive health challenges. His daughter Jaime was diagnosed with lupus, leading Woody to found the Lupus Research Alliance. He’s poured millions into finding a cure for the autoimmune disease.
Then there’s the story of his eldest daughter, Casey. She struggled with Type 1 diabetes for years and tragically passed away in 2010 at just 33 years old. Woody has been a massive force behind the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), even lobbying Congress to secure $750 million in federal funding for research.
More recently, he and his wife Suzanne (who is of Ukrainian descent) have been heavily involved in aid for Ukraine, donating over $1 million through the Jets and visiting refugee centers in Poland.
What to Expect Next
So, where does he go from here? At 78, Woody Johnson isn't showing many signs of slowing down. He’s still a kingmaker in GOP politics and remains one of the most visible owners in the NFL.
If you're following his career, here are the three things to watch:
- The Crystal Palace Move: He’s now the largest shareholder in a Premier League club. Watch for him to apply "American-style" sports marketing to the South London team.
- The Jets' Rebuild: With Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey at the helm, the next two years will decide if Woody can finally bring a trophy back to New York or if the "Vicious Cycle" continues.
- Political Influence: Even though he wasn't sent back to London as ambassador in the 2025 administration, he remains a key advisor and fundraiser.
To stay updated on Woody Johnson’s business moves, keep a close eye on the NFL owner's meetings and the Premier League’s financial disclosures. His shift toward international sports ownership suggests he’s looking to diversify his legacy beyond the "J&J heir" label.