Receiver Johnson claims he’ll put team first with Panthers
There was no Me-Shawn in the Keyshawn Johnson who was introduced to the Charlotte media Friday afternoon.
Instead, Johnson, the Carolina Panthers’ newest wide receiver, was all about the team, all the time, as he fielded questions at Bank of America Stadium.
“I didn’t come here to try to catch 100 balls,” he said. “I’m here because I felt this organization was the closest out of the teams I was looking at to getting back into the Super Bowl.”
Johnson, who has signed a four-year, $14-million deal with Carolina that includes $5 million in bonus money, picked up that Me-Shawn tag when some perceived him as a bit self-absorbed in the past.
In the team’s interview room with Panthers general manager Marty Hurney, Johnson stressed he is nothing of the sort. He repeatedly deferred to Steve Smith, Carolina’s top receiver.
“I don’t even know what a No. 1 wide receiver is, to be honest with you,” Johnson said. “I know what a dominant wide receiver is and Steve Smith is definitely dominant. Steve Smith would probably be the No. 1, the 2 and the 3 (receiver) depending on the situation.
“The only people that get caught up in who’s the 1 and who’s the 2 are fantasy football guys that read the numbers. Numbers don’t mean anything. The only numbers that mean something are how many rings you’ve got on your fingers. And that’s sincere coming from me.”
Johnson has one of those Super Bowl rings. He won one in the 2002-03 season when he was with Tampa Bay. But during the next season, he was suspended for the final six games after getting into a well-publicized dispute with Bucs coach Jon Gruden.
He didn’t dwell on the Gruden incident, but answered quickly when asked about those who considered him a problem.
“Well how come everybody keeps signing me if I’m such a problem?” Johnson asked. “That’s my answer to that. If I’m such a problem, why do these people continue to invest dollars if he’s a problem? I wouldn’t. I’m not spending my money on Keyshawn if he’s a problem. I’m not going to do it.
“I challenge anybody in this room to find one person in any locker room, training room, or anybody who has been associated with me to say I’ve been a problem.”
Allen, Brown also sign
Johnson wasn’t the only former Cowboys player to find a new team. Larry Allen, the Cowboys’ 10-time Pro Bowl guard and perhaps the most dominant offensive lineman of his generation, agreed to a two-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers.
New England re-signed fan favorite receiver Troy Brown and the Eagles re-signed veteran right tackle Jon Runyan.
With Johnson on the field, defenses can’t zero in on Smith because they’ll know the Panthers have at least a second option. Carolina lacked that for most of the year because its running game took months to develop, and No. 2 receiver Keary Colbert had a big drop-off from his outstanding rookie season.
Though the 34-year-old Allen has played 12 tough NFL seasons, the struggling 49ers believe they could use a big dose of Allen’s famed nastiness. Allen, the massive last link to the Cowboys’ most recent Super Bowl-winning team, was released Tuesday when he refused to take a pay cut.
Despite their 4-12 record last season and a young roster, the 49ers were attractive to Allen for more reasons than money.
Allen played two college seasons at Sonoma State, just north of San Francisco, before spending his entire career in Dallas – where he played for 49ers offensive coordinator Norv Turner and offensive line coach George Warhop.
Allen even bought a house in Danville, an upscale Bay Area suburb, two years ago.
“If it wasn’t Dallas, I wanted to go back home,” Allen said. “They offered the best deal, and they’re in California, so it worked.”
Brown, 34, has spent his entire career with the Patriots, who drafted him in 1993. His 514 career receptions rank second for the Patriots, 21 behind Stanley Morgan. Brown had 39 catches for 466 yards and two touchdowns last season.