After beginning training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, Jermaine Johnson is expected to return soon.
The source? Himself.
In a post on his official X account, Johnson announced that he has been “cleared” to return from the Achilles injury he suffered in September 2024.
Just landed back from LA after checking in with my surgeon and my team out there and… IM CLEARED YALL🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 After I was told that, these past 10-11 months flashed in my head and man was it tough. But through Gods grace and guidance I prevailed against all physical, mental and… pic.twitter.com/jY3XSoLXSp
— Jermaine Johnson II (@ii_jermaine) July 25, 2025
While the Jets are yet to make an official change to Johnson’s roster status, the fourth-year edge rusher’s announcement is a sign that he should begin working his way back to the practice field sooner rather than later.
Johnson’s announcement comes 313 days after he tore his Achilles in Nashville, Tennessee, during the Jets’ Week 2 victory against the Titans. It was a devastatingly early end to a third-year campaign in which Johnson was expected to push into the top tier of NFL edge rushers.
In 2023, Johnson established himself as one of the NFL’s most well-rounded playmakers on the edge. In 17 starts, Johnson racked up 7.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, 11 tackles for loss, 55 total tackles, 56 total pressures, 20 run stops, seven pass deflections, a pick-six, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
That year, Johnson was one of only five NFL edge rushers with 45+ pressures, 15+ run stops, 10+ tackles for loss, and 5+ pass deflections. The others: T.J. Watt, Khalil Mack, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Aidan Hutchinson.
Johnson will return to form an intriguing edge duo with Will McDonald, the Jets’ next first-round pick after Johnson was taken 26th overall in 2022. Despite being on the roster together for two years, Johnson and McDonald have yet to start a game together; McDonald was a backup for all of 2023, and he did not start in 2024 until Johnson’s injury opened a spot for him.
With combined totals of 18 sacks, 40 quarterback hits, and 117 total pressures across their most recent full seasons (Johnson’s 2023 season plus McDonald’s 2024 season), Johnson and McDonald have the potential to be one of the NFL’s best young edge pairings in 2025.
The main concern is whether Johnson can return to his previous form (and continue building upon it) in his first year after an Achilles tear. But with Johnson being cleared to return more than six weeks ahead of the season opener, he is in an excellent position to get himself back into peak shape before Pittsburgh comes to town.
