The outspoken former receiver, who often clashed with coaches and attained fame early in his career, just “wants the damn ball” again as he considers a return to the NFL as a player.
In his career as a wide receiver, Johnson has played for the NFL Jets, Buccaneers, Cowboys and Panthers, amassing 814 receptions for 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns. He is best known for his size - 6’4”, 211 lbs.- and good hands as well as his often well-publicized sideline arguments with coaches. Most notable among them is a sideline tantrum that was directed at coach John Gruden and caught by television cameras while Johnson was playing for Tampa Bay.
Johnson moved from the playing field to the analyst’s booth for the 2007 NFL season after catching 70 passes for 815 yards opposite Steve Smith with the Carolina Panthers during the 2006 season. At that time, he was offered a two-year contract worth just under $8 Million by the NFL, Tennessee Titans, but turned it down in favor of a 4-year deal with ESPN.
Asked about the potential move back to the playing field, Johnson said "I like challenges. The challenge of helping to turn a NFL team around, to help get it to the next level, that gets my competitive fires burning. I have the itch, and right now I'm trying to decide how strong that itch is."
Potential suitors for Johnson include one of his former teams, the Dallas Cowboys, as well as the NFL, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders. Johnson has a good relationship with Miami’s new vice president of football operations, Bill Parcels, who coached him with both the Jets and the Cowboys and spent time with Johnson in the ESPN studios while working on NFL pre-game studio shows together.
