Johnson turns down Titans, retires to work for ESPN

[ECURB]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2879994

LOS ANGELES -- Keyshawn Johnson gave up football for a microphone Wednesday, retiring from the NFL and taking his opinionated voice to ESPN.

Matt Mosley writes that Keyshawn Johnson "was the most accessible superstar I've ever dealt with. He would read every word we wrote about him, and was always willing to provide instant feedback." Blog

Johnson, one of the NFL's top receivers during an 11-year career, agreed to a multiyear contract and will appear on several ESPN telecasts, including pre-game shows on Sundays and Monday nights.

At ESPN, Johnson will join the crew of Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown as an analyst. He will also contribute to a new weekly ESPN Radio NFL show hosted by Chris Mortensen and Bill Parcells.

"I've done everything I wanted to do in my career. I tried to find as much as I could to push me back and play football for one or two more years," Johnson said at a news conference on the Southern California campus, where he starred in college.

"I wavered time and time again," he said. "I've lived my dream. Now, I'm going to live another dream. I think today is not as emotional as the last two weeks, thinking about it. There were times there were sleepless nights, wondering if this was the right thing to do."

Johnson turned down several offers to keep playing, including one from the Tennessee Titans that could have been worth $8 million.

Jerome Stanley, Johnson's agent, said his client agreed to terms what he called a substantial deal with ESPN.

"We're very, very pleased," Stanley said, adding that the Titans offered close to $8 million for two years with most of the money guaranteed.

Johnson, who turns 35 in July, said at least a half-dozen teams offered him a job.

"Those guys were terrific, from Lane Kiffin to Bill Belichick to Jeff Fisher," Johnson said, referring to the coaches in Oakland, New England and Tennessee, respectively.

"They all wanted me to play football for them. At the end of the day, it just didn't fit into what I wanted to do now."

Johnson worked the NFL draft last month for ESPN, which was impressed enough to offer him a job. He was released by Carolina three days after the Panthers took former USC star wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett in the second round.

The Class of '96

Keyshawn Johnson was the No. 1 overall pick in 1996 -- a draft that produced some remarkable wide receivers.

Notable WRs picked in 1996 Pick Player Catches 1st Keyshawn Johnson 814 7th Terry Glenn 593 19th Marvin Harrison 1,022 24th Eric Moulds 732 89th Terrell Owens 801

"When Keyshawn decided to retire from football, we jumped at the chance of adding him to our NFL roster, especially after his impressive on-air performance during the NFL draft," ESPN executive vice president Norby Williamson said. "He delivered passionate opinions and candid analysis, attributes that will make him a first-rate analyst in his new career."

Johnson became the 16th player in NFL history to reach 800 career receptions and the 26th with 10,000 receiving yards last season, when he caught 70 passes for 815 yards and four touchdowns.

He visited the Titans last week, meeting with coaches and watching film.

Fisher, who became friends with Johnson while he played at USC and Johnson was a ball boy, said Monday he thought Johnson's numbers and production spoke for themselves.

"He still played at a high-level last year. He takes very good care of himself," Fisher said. "He hasn't had any injuries per se. Anytime you get a chance to bring an experienced veteran in to add to your roster then it's a good thing."

Johnson was the top pick in the 1996 draft, being selected by the New York Jets. After a good rookie season -- 63 catches, eight touchdowns -- for a team that went 1-15, he wrote a book: "Just Give Me The Damn Ball," which was well-received by the public if not by his teammates.

He eventually earned the nickname "Me-shawn" for that, but his coaches, particularly Bill Parcells with both the Jets and Dallas Cowboys, considered him a hard worker and versatile clutch player. Parcells once called Johnson one of the best players he'd coached.

But Johnson did have run-ins with Jets receiver Wayne Chrebet when they played together and, less than a year after helping Tampa Bay win the 2003 Super Bowl, Johnson's spat with Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden got him suspended for the final six games of the season.

Johnson then joined Parcells and the Cowboys, where he had two productive seasons, with 141 catches and 12 touchdowns.

The Panthers signed Johnson last year after he was released by Dallas in a salary cap move so the Cowboys could sign Terrell Owens. While Owens had 85 catches for 1,180 yards and 13 TDs last year as the focal point of the passing game in Dallas, Johnson performed well as the No. 2 receiver behind Steve Smith in Carolina.

[johnny green balls]

good for him. this is a guy who went from a cancer to a team guy and showed it's never too late to de-turdify. now if he apologizes to chrebet (if he hasn't already) he'll actually be a bona fide class act.

[jetophile]

good for him. this is a guy who went from a cancer to a team guy and showed it's never too late to de-turdify. now if he apologizes to chrebet (if he hasn't already) he'll actually be a bona fide class act.

Easy there, Cowboy. He'd have to apologize to Chrebet PUBLICLY to sway me that far over, and even then, it's a stretch. He's animated and should do well, carve out a new niche for himself, but our mini-Terrell, as much as he's 'grown up', a 'Class Act'? I...ooof.

[johnny green balls]

Easy there, Cowboy. He'd have to apologize to Chrebet PUBLICLY to sway me that far over, and even then, it's a stretch. He's animated and should do well, carve out a new niche for himself, but our mini-Terrell, as much as he's 'grown up', a 'Class Act'? I...ooof.

you're right, i agree. it would take a public apology to undo public trashtalk.

[joewilly]

you're right, i agree. it would take a public apology to undo public trashtalk.

he was a pretty big ass on the bucs too. I didn't mind him on draftday. he can't be as annoying as irvin was but definetely cut from the same cloth

[johnny green balls]

he was a pretty big ass on the bucs too. I didn't mind him on draftday. he can't be as annoying as irvin was but definetely cut from the same cloth

i don't recall his bucs problems except that him and chuckie hated each other.

[jetophile]

i don't recall his bucs problems except that him and chuckie hated each other.

He wasn't a team player. He was insubordinate. He didn't show up for practice. He ran his mouth. He submarined the coach. He got fired. Fancy that. :bag: Two bagheads for the price of one.