With training camp approaching, the New York Jets are dealing with another offseason distraction, this time in the form of their throwback logo.
TMZ released a story on July 1 that Jim Pons, a former Jets employee, is suing the team. According to the lawsuit, Pons is suing the Jets and the NFL over their use of a logo that he designed, demanding he be paid.
Pons claimed that he’s the one who designed the logo in the 1970s. He had been working with the team as a film and video director at the time. The team was looking for a redesign in 1978 when Pons claims he submitted the iconic logo that the team decided to use.
“However, in his suit, Pons said he was anything but pleased with the Jets and the NFL — believing he owns the mark which he says he created outside of the scope of his job with the team … so now he thinks they owe him some serious compensation for his work,” TMZ wrote.
At the time of writing, there are unspecified damages in the lawsuit.
The Jets Respond to the Lawsuit
The Jets made a strong claim against the lawsuit after news broke from TMZ. In fact, they made it clear that they don’t believe there’s any credible claim made in the suit.
“We are aware of the complaint,” the Jets said in a statement to the New York Post. “The mark in question has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for nearly 50 years. The mark has been used continuously in numerous iterations since that time. We find this claim baseless and without merit.”
The logo has been used multiple times throughout the franchise’s history. It was on the uniforms until 1997, then brought back on a part-time basis in 2022. The team most recently announced that they were bringing back the logo permanently for the 2024 season.
After using the logo on and off for decades, the timing of the lawsuit comes at an interesting time. There will likely be no update on the outcome of the lawsuit any time soon, particularly as the team starts gearing up for the 2024 season.
Latest Jets News Ahead of Training Camp
As is the case every year, the Jets have no shortage of news and speculation heading into training camp.
The biggest story of June had been the status of Aaron Rodgers. The superstar quarterback had been absent from mandatory minicamp, but Robert Saleh made it clear that the absence wasn’t a distraction for the team.
NFL fans finally learned about where Rodgers had been on July 1. SNY insider Connor Hughes revealed that the Jets quarterback had been on a pre-planned trip to Egypt during his unexcused absence.
In more exciting news, former Jets star cornerback Antonio Cromartie is back with the team. Cromartie announced via X that he was joining the coaching staff for training camp. He’ll be working with the team as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.
With so many new players and a healthy Rodgers under center, the Jets will have plenty to talk about on the field once training camp officially begins.
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