Faced with fines, Chad Johnson says he'll report to minicamp
Six weeks after proclaiming he would not report to any Cincinnati Bengals activities, disgruntled wide receiver Chad Johnson seems to have had a change of heart.
Six weeks after proclaiming he would not report to any Cincinnati Bengals activities, disgruntled wide receiver Chad Johnson seems to have had a change of heart.
Yesterday, he told ESPN The Magazine that he intends to report to mandatory minicamp on June 12 and that that everyone will see "the reinvention of Ocho Cinco."
"I'm dead serious,'' Johnson said. "People need to take me as I am because I just don't give a [bleep] anymore. That's how I'd sum up my attitude for the next season.''
Johnson was facing fines of $8,000 per day for skipping minicamp and $14,000 per day for missing training camp. A holdout beyond that would have resulted in a loss of game checks. His $3 million salary divided over a 17-week regular season would have cost Johnson approximately $176,500 per week.
Noteworthy
* Packers running back Noah Herron thwarted a would-be burglar by hitting him with a bed post during a break-in at his suburban Green Bay home.
Brown County Sheriff Dennis Kocken said that the break-in happened late last Friday and the injured intruder remained hospitalized but is expected to recover.
"Noah Herron used necessary, reasonable and justifiable force in protecting his life and property," Kocken said in a statement. "Herron, the victim in this random home invasion, is cooperating with law enforcement."
Herron, 26, missed all of last season with a knee injury.
The injured burglar was taken to a hospital, and a second suspect was arrested outside the home.
* Showtime Networks and CBS Sports are teaming to bring the award-winning NFL studio show, "Inside The NFL,'' to Showtime.
The show will be produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films and will premiere on Showtime on Wednesday, Sept. 10 (9 p.m.). It will air each Wednesday throughout the season through Feb. 11, 2009.
* The Houston Texans have signed general manager Rick Smith to a 4-year contract extension - keeping him with the team at least through 2012.
Smith is one of three black general managers in the NFL.
* Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that wide receiver Terry Glenn failed a physical after last season and still hasn't passed it because of problems with the right knee that was operated on twice last season.
Jones wants Glenn to agree to accept a $500,000 injury settlement if he can't play this season. His base salary is $1.74 million. *