Maybe this has something to do with why NFL coaches don't hate Chad Johnson as much as Terrell Owens: Johnson means well, and when pressed, he usually caves to his employer's demands. That's not necessarily a bad thing, particularly when there's no indication that the people who pay his salary aren't treating him unfairly. By now, the story is familiar to most of us: Johnson used the offseason to try to get out of Cincinnati, the Bengals -- specifically, head coach Marvin Lewis -- told him it wasn't happening, no matter how much bellyaching he did, and when the team threatened to fine Johnson for missing mandatory workouts, he magically changed his attitude.
And now, some six months after he started the "Anywhere but Cincy in '08" campaign, Mr. Ocho Cinco comes bearing an olive branch.
Like an ol' married couple, the player and coach have patched things up in time for the Bengals' Sunday, July 27, arrival at Georgetown (Ky.) College for training camp.And I think that's right -- Johnson is committed to winning, and he wouldn't do anything to intentionally sabotage that. Of course, as soon as Carson Palmer doesn't look his way on a crucial third-down play, or Johnson feels like offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski isn't using him enough, it could be a problem.
"It's time to play football and get ready to play football. That's what he does," Lewis said at the club's pre-training camp luncheon in the East Club Lounge at Paul Brown Stadium on Tuesday. "He's a very, very good player. I'm excited for him to cleanse his mind and get back to having fun." ...
But can the club's relationship with Johnson be healed? "I consider it healed, being a miracle worker," Bengals president Mike Brown said. "It was a rough patch. I wish it could've been avoided. But it's behind us now."
We saw it at times last season. The easiest fix is winning, although given how competitive the AFC North should be this season, and Cincinnati's schedule, the odds seem long.
