Houston Texans’ wide receiver Andre Johnson has apparently had enough after the team told him he would have to take on a smaller role in 2015. He has since asked for a trade or to be released outright.
Johnson had this to say when coach Bill O’Brien told him last week he shouldn’t be expecting to catch more than 40 passes for the upcoming season (via the Houston Chronicle).
I just laughed. They gave me my role, and I just laughed at them. How do you tell a guy who is used to catching 80 balls a year that he was going to catch 40?
Not finished degrading Johnson, O’Brien told him that he wouldn’t even be starting alongside wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Johnson’s responded with this:
I was floored. I don’t feel like there is a guy on that team that can outplay me or outwork me. I mean, who am I going to play behind?
So I was real honest with him: ‘If that’s your role for me, you’re going to be dealing with a miserable football player.
While it is not surprising that the Texans are having a hard time wanting to pay Johnson the more than $20 million he is due over the next two years, the way they handled the situation was pretty lousy, especially when you think of all the great things Johnson has done for the organization over the years.
It sure looks like Johnson is finished in Houston after 13 seasons, during which time he put up 13,597 yards and 67 scores.
Photo: USA Today