Jermaine Johnson entered the NFL as a relentless edge rusher with a reputation for physicality and meticulous preparation. After earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2023, where he led his team in impact plays, his 2024 campaign was cut short by a Week 2 injury. With the season sidelined, Johnson appears to be channeling his competitive drive into new creative outlets, signaling a shift in how he’s approaching the offseason.

The New York Jets’ defensive force has been unusually expressive on social media lately, and not just about football. A pinned post on Johnson’s Instagram shows him in a Jets green tee, staring straight into the lens with the caption, “Do what u love🖤.” At first glance, it appears to be just another motivational snapshot. But paired with what he revealed next, it suddenly takes on a deeper meaning. His latest Instagram story did just that — and revealed a surprisingly artistic side of the pass rusher.

Johnson shared a personal moment with his followers, captioning an Instagram story: “In the process of constructing/writing my manga/anime and ts is so fire… just had to share with someone. Y’all carry on.” The casual tone hid a bigger truth — Johnson isn’t just dabbling; he’s deep into crafting an entire manga or anime story. Off the field, Johnson seems to be channeling the same dedication and intensity he brings to football into storytelling and art.

Johnson’s passion for manga and anime highlights a side of him that fans rarely see — a creative mind turning to storytelling while sidelined from the field. It turns out that this creative leap might have been building for a while. Johnson’s journey from Last Chance U, which is a key part of Johnson’s origin story, to the NFL mirrors the very themes anime thrives on — resilience, redemption, and self-discovery. From Myles Garrett’s anime-inspired cleats to Micah Parsons quoting Naruto, anime has long been a locker room favorite — but Jermaine might be the first to start building his own universe.

It’s a powerful reminder that athletes often have layered identities and ambitions, especially when forced to pause and reflect. Teammates have long noticed Johnson’s intensity goes beyond football. But before the creativity could flow, Jermaine had to face one of the toughest moments of his career.

Jermaine Johnson’s injury: the challenge behind the comeback

Jermaine Johnson was heading into 2024 with a ton of momentum. After a breakout season in 2023—his second year in the league—the Jets linebacker looked every bit like a future cornerstone. He not only racked up 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss but even took an interception to the house. That kind of impact earned him his first Pro Bowl nod and firmly established him on the map. But just two weeks into the new season, everything changed. In Week 2 against the Titans, Johnson went down during a non-contact play. 

As it turned out, he had torn his Achilles. That was it—his year was over before it even got going. The moment was eerily familiar for the Jets, who had already seen Aaron Rodgers and Alijah Vera-Tucker suffer Achilles injuries of their own. And now it was happening to one of their brightest young stars. Johnson met the setback head-on, showing the same toughness and positivity everyone knows him for. Shortly after the news broke, he shared a video from the team facility, saying, “I did tear my Achilles, but we good, man. We’re in great spirits, we’re going to get back right. This is just another opportunity to brag about what I came from, so let’s get it”. 

It’s that mindset that’s kept his coaches and teammates in his corner no matter what. Tight end Tyler Conklin was one of the first to speak up about the loss. “You hate to see anybody go down with an injury like that. I guess the one positive about it is Jermaine being who Jermaine is. I know he’ll handle it better than anybody”. And it wasn’t just empty support—the Jets backed him up in a big way. This April, they picked up his fifth-year option, guaranteeing him $13.4 million for 2026. 

That move showed just how much faith the team still has in him. Johnson didn’t hold back his appreciation after the team picked up his option. He took to social media to thank the Jets organization, shouting out GM Darren Mougey, head coach Aaron Glenn, and owner Woody Johnson for sticking by him. He made his intentions clear—he’s locked in and plans to give the team everything he’s got.

Johnson continues grinding through rehab and expects to be ready for OTAs. It’s a slow climb, but if anyone can turn a setback into motivation, it’s Jermaine Johnson. And judging by his latest off-field announcement, he’s already finding new ways to keep the creative spark alive while he heals.