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Updated: January 17, 2008, 10:10 AM ET
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The Cincinnati Bengals introduced Mike Zimmer as their newest defensive coordinator Wednesday, but just as noteworthy was coach Marvin Lewis reiterating that the team had no intention of trading mercurial wide receiver Chad Johnson.
Johnson
Johnson expressed unhappiness with the Bengals' front office during his appearance last Friday on ESPN's "Mike & Mike in the Morning," saying "not too many people really having my back within."
He intimated that if he were considered a distraction and the reason for the Bengals' disappointing season, the organization should trade him. "The only thing for me to do or say now is, if you guys, as a team and organization, want to further yourself in the playoffs, I think you need to get rid of what the problem was during the season," Johnson said on the radio program.
Lewis, addressing those remarks on Wednesday, said, "He didn't say anything different -- that he was unduly chastised for being this or that. He's going to go back and be a pro and go forward and play. As I said then, there will be no trade of Chad Johnson. Repeat it again."
Lewis' daughter had notified him of Johnson's appearance on radio, and Lewis was not surprised by everything Johnson brought up. Asked about Johnson's attitude, Lewis said, "I can't control that. That doesn't mean anything to me right now. He's a special player and he's a Cincinnati Bengal for quite a while."
Johnson, who finished with a single-season franchise-record 1,440 receiving yards, has had six consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He is under contract with the Bengals through 2011 after signing a $35.5 million extension in April 2006.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
ESPN.com news services
Updated: January 17, 2008, 10:10 AM ET
Comment
The Cincinnati Bengals introduced Mike Zimmer as their newest defensive coordinator Wednesday, but just as noteworthy was coach Marvin Lewis reiterating that the team had no intention of trading mercurial wide receiver Chad Johnson.
Johnson
Johnson expressed unhappiness with the Bengals' front office during his appearance last Friday on ESPN's "Mike & Mike in the Morning," saying "not too many people really having my back within."
He intimated that if he were considered a distraction and the reason for the Bengals' disappointing season, the organization should trade him. "The only thing for me to do or say now is, if you guys, as a team and organization, want to further yourself in the playoffs, I think you need to get rid of what the problem was during the season," Johnson said on the radio program.
Lewis, addressing those remarks on Wednesday, said, "He didn't say anything different -- that he was unduly chastised for being this or that. He's going to go back and be a pro and go forward and play. As I said then, there will be no trade of Chad Johnson. Repeat it again."
Lewis' daughter had notified him of Johnson's appearance on radio, and Lewis was not surprised by everything Johnson brought up. Asked about Johnson's attitude, Lewis said, "I can't control that. That doesn't mean anything to me right now. He's a special player and he's a Cincinnati Bengal for quite a while."
Johnson, who finished with a single-season franchise-record 1,440 receiving yards, has had six consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He is under contract with the Bengals through 2011 after signing a $35.5 million extension in April 2006.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
