*In last week’s season premiere of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Miami Dolphins,” viewers saw the team’s head coach Joe Philbin lecture receiver Chad Johnson after he dropped several profanities during a press conference. [Scroll down to watch.]
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In hindsight, it could’ve served as a glaring warning sign of his antics to come. There was no lecture from the coach after he was arrested Saturday night for domestic battery involving his wife Evelyn Lozada. The Associated Press is reporting that the organization took about 24 hours after the incident to decide that his contract will be terminated.
“It wasn’t about one specific thing. It just wasn’t going to work,” Philbin said. “It didn’t feel like to me that this fit was going to be right for us as an organization, or for Chad. It was time to move on. It wasn’t done to send a message. It was done because it just didn’t feel right.”
Several players came to Johnson’s defense, saying he was a good teammate and friend during his two months with the Dolphins. Linebacker Karlos Dansby said he was upset about the team’s handling of the matter because he felt Johnson deserved another chance. Safety Reshad Jones agreed the decision to let Johnson go seemed hasty.
“It was shocking to see he was going to be released a day after the incident,” Jones said. “It is pretty disappointing. But that was up to the coaching staff.”
Philbin, a first-year head coach, said he wasn’t worried about losing the locker room. But he did take issue with Dansby sounding off publicly. “I’m of the opinion that you should keep things in house in that regard,” Philbin said.
The 34-year-old Johnson had been trying to revive his career after a disappointing season with the New England Patriots in 2011. He pledged to focus on football, then annoyed Philbin by frequently using profanity during an entertaining but R-rated session with reporters – seen below in its uncensored entirety.
Adding insult to injury, in the Dolphins’ exhibition opener Friday against Tampa Bay, Johnson dropped the only pass thrown his way.
He must be kicking himself for giving his team and VH1 the perfect excuse to sack him. It’s going to be interesting to see where he lands after alienating a huge swath of potential fans/supporters.
first-year head coach doesn’t like you? you’re f**ked!! Oh well, I’m sure he won’t flounder long . . . remember the old saying that 50 dug up: “one man’s trash . . . . .”
““It didn’t feel like to me that this fit was going to be right for us as an organization.”
Hmmm… But right enough for a $975,000 contract.
But he did take issue with Dansby sounding off publicly. “I’m of the opinion that you should keep things in house in that regard,” Philbin said.
So Chad was cut because they feared they couldn’t muzzle him the way they would like to do with other players.
BTW, who going to catch balls for you now?
Reggie Bush? Wasn’t he like one of the leading receiver behind Brandon Marshall?
Really smart and classy move, coach Pilbin. Well, looking forward to another “productive” season by the Dolphins.
“It wasn’t done to send a message. It was done because it just didn’t feel right.”
Yeah, ok. It’s the bad publicity that doesn’t ‘feel right’. They knew he was a fool when they signed him now he headbutts his wife and they have regrets. It’s one thing to have talent, it’s quite another when a popular athelete’s image is going in the toilet and the sports organization has to suffer from it. It seems to me the sports organizations are saying enough to bad behavior because it is affecting their bottomline. These organizations care about money and they want to present the cleanest image (how ironic!) to the public as possible.
Raiders contact him now!
Chad will be playing in Cowboys Stadium. Them crackas in Miami did him a big favor.
Will someone tell me How Chad’s altercation at his home, with his wife have anything to do with the coach feelin anything. I mean this is the coach first year as the teams coach, and how would he feel if he wasn’t given a chance after his first mistake,How many players have make mistakes at the first game?This sounds like any old excuse
will do…crazy….