Sounds like Ted Johnson is setting up a negligence lawsuit...

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

...based on his comments, I mean.

This is just a shame.

I always loved Ted. I never realized he suffered this way.

But, I can't see Belichick intentionally trying to hurt someone. As much as he believes in having all 53 men ready to play, why would he intentionally risk this kind of thing with Ted Johnson?

I realize many might say Ted knew the nature of the beats, but, man, football, as much as I love it, is a brutal game. These dudes pay a high physical price later in life.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Why did this come out now, and not in 2002, 03,04 , or even in 05 when TJ retired?? He did not blame Pete Carroll for making him come back in 99 when he tore his other bicep?? I think he really was messed up longer than 2002

 

[DefenseRules]

Well at least one source is questioning his motives:
http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

JOHNSON CLAIMS BELICHICK FORCED HIM TO PRACTICE HURT

Former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson claims that coach Bill Belichick required him to practice, and subjected him to hard hits, while Johnson was recovering from a concussion in 2002.

"There's something wrong with me," Johnson told the New York Times. "There's something wrong with my brain. And I know when it started."

Okay, time out. Because to the extent that the Times or anyone else has decided to anoint Johnson as the new poster child for the very real problem of player health after their playing days end, we don't think Johnson is the right guy to carry the flag.

Because Johnson was contemplating returning to the Patriots in 2006.

So let's be realistic about this. Johnson apparently realizes that the family of former Steelers center Mike Webster recently cashed in (and deservedly so) for a claim that his chronic depression was caused by football injuries. And Johnson, like other former football players who don't make nearly as much money after their playing careers end, could be tempted by the lure of a nice score.

We're not saying the Johnson isn't impaired in some way or that his doctors are embellishing his condition. But there's a danger that someone who really isn't in bad shape will try to get a Mike Webster-type payday via exaggeration and/or fabrication.

And the fact that Johnson is *****ing about Belichick barely a month after he was musing about returning to the team that Belichick coaches fairly calls Johnson's overall motives into question. Why would the guy even consider returning to the Patriots in 2006 after Junior Seau was hurt if he believes that Belichick contributed to Johnson's current plight? And why not mention when explaining that he was expecting to get a call from the Pats that there were some things that happened in the past that might make him uncomfortable about going back?

Maybe Johnson didn't say anything about it because he still hoped his phone would ring. And maybe because it didn't ring Johnson is now mad, and thus is lashing out at the team.

We're not saying that this is what's happening, but the circumstances clearly suggest that these are fair questions to raise.

I feel for Ted. But PFT has a point. Sighs, so much for a quiet offseason. Something tells me that this story is just getting started, IMO.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Why did this come out now, and not in 2002, 03,04 , or even in 05 when TJ retired?? He did not blame Pete Carroll for making him come back in 99 when he tore his other bicep?? I think he really was messed up longer than 2002

Not to throw fuel on the fire, but hey, hey it's offseason! Here'a another angle to consider.

Remember when Johnson tore his bicep the first time in the playoffs vs. the Steelers (I think it was '97 or '98)?

My buddy Nick is a professional bodybuilder and we were watching the game when it happened. Nicky was telling me that tearing a bicep is an injury related to increased use of steroids. He explained that the body would never naturally allow the bicep to grow to the point where it becomes more powerful than the tendon and bone it is attached to, but that with juice, it can grow out of proportion to the other components, and thus when the bicep is applied to a force that pulls it away, the tendons give way and it can tear off from the bone.

So let's assume for a moment that this is true.

If it is true, then Ted Johnson has been abusing his body for the sake of performance and money since at least 1997 or 1998, and probably all the way back to University of Colorado.

And so, if that is the case, why all of a sudden is he calling out trainers and coaches for allowing him to play with a concussion, when he had already set the unspoken expectation that he was a guy willing to do anything to play, including place his health at risk by taking the juice?

Just a thought.

As I said, the whole situation is damn shame to me. I would like to see #52 retired as a Patriot uniform in honor of Ted. I think he was that good for us in his prime.

BTW, another that should finally "officially" be retired is #56 & #57 for Andre Tippett and Steve Nelson.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

You suffer the same inj to both arms, in a matter of a yr.. There is a question about steroid use..

 

[D-cleater]

Armen, your buddy is talking out his ass. I know an athlete that tore his bicep and never touched steroids in his life.

feel free to continue making **** up about former players though.

 

[edzo44]

Well at least one source is questioning his motives:

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

This line from PFT sort of raises another question:

. . . . And the fact that Johnson is *****ing about Belichick barely a month after he was musing about returning to the team that Belichick coaches fairly calls Johnson's overall motives into question. Why would the guy even consider returning to the Patriots in 2006 after Junior Seau was hurt if he believes that Belichick contributed to Johnson's current plight? And why not mention when explaining that he was expecting to get a call from the Pats that there were some things that happened in the past that might make him uncomfortable about going back?

Maybe Johnson didn't say anything about it because he still hoped his phone would ring. And maybe because it didn't ring Johnson is now mad, and thus is lashing out at the team. . . .

I float the possibility he was so pissed off that he didn't get a call because our boy Ted was really hoping for the call so he could take his first hit in a game, go all woozy, claim his condition is even more aggravated now, blame it all on those heartless Patriots and launch his negligence lawsuit attack for millions!

 

[BelichickFan]

Given that he voluntarily played 3 seasons after this "incident", I suspect he'll have trouble convincing people it's all Belichick's fault.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Armen, your buddy is talking out his ass. I know an athlete that tore his bicep and never touched steroids in his life.

feel free to continue making **** up about former players though.

Well, I don't know about that because I am no expert, but I also did say in my post, "let's assume for a moment that this is true", so I really don't feel like I was "making stuff up about former players".

I love Ted Johnson. I am sorry this is happening to him, if it is true.

As far as what my buddy Nicky said, I can't imagine why he would make something like that up, but still, I am not saying it is true or it isn't.

However, I am also not the first person to question Ted Johnson's training and supplement habits.

The point is, the guy (TJ) has always made himself out to be a warrior who throws his health to the wind for the love of the game (or the money).

 

[PlattsFan]

I have a question about threads ... why are threads like this started? Isn't there a perfectly good thread about the TJ story already going in which the original comment here could've been placed?

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

I have a question about threads ... why are threads like this started? Isn't there a perfectly good thread about the TJ story already going in which the original comment here could've been placed?

I guess so, but this thread is more about Ted's motives in his comments.

But, seriously, I have another question.

And I am not even necessarily directing this at you, PlattsFan, but you kind of opened the can of worms.

Why do people read a thread, decide they don't like it and go out of their way to post a response complaining about that thread?

It seems there are some on this board that like to just go onto a thread and start poop by criticizing the author or saying the thread is "stupid" (or worse) or just complain about which forum it belongs in.

Sometimes these attacks can get pretty mean and personal. I know I have been subject to this type of stuff at times and I have seen others also attacked.

It seems to me we're all fairly sharp here and passionate about the Pats and subjects surroudning them, so I ask you:

If you don't like a thread, why even waste your time commenting or contributing or - even worse - attacking with profanity and personal stuff?

Just don't read it anymore and move on to the next thread.

Nobody's forcing anybody to read anything here.

If people don't want to discuss a topic in a thread, then the thing will die a natural death anyway.

This is the natural attrition.

What good does spamming a thread do?

That question really deserves its own thread, doesn't it?

LOL!

 

[Hoodie]

Remember when Ted and his wife were arrested? They gave that interview to Ch. 4 claiming it was really all her fault. She was the one with the temper and the substance abuse problems. Poor Ted just got pulled into her drama. I guess they lied.

I haven't read the article yet but I wonder if Ted discusses his steroid abuse? Many of the injuries Ted suffered in his career (bi-cep tears on both sides in consecutive years) were linked to steroid abuse. If Ted did take steroids, might they have had an impact on his declining mental health? It's documented that steroids cause depression in teenagers why not adults as well. Did BB and the Pats force him to take steroids?

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Remember when Ted and his wife were arrested? They gave that interview to Ch. 4 claiming it was really all her fault. She was the one with the temper and the substance abuse problems. Poor Ted just got pulled into her drama. I guess they lied.

I haven't read the article yet but I wonder if Ted discusses his steroid abuse? Many of the injuries Ted suffered in his career (bi-cep tears on both sides in consecutive years) were linked to steroid abuse. If Ted did take steroids, might they have had an impact on his declining mental health? It's documented that steroids cause depression in teenagers why not adults as well. Did BB and the Pats force him to take steroids?

Interesting. I forgot about that thing with his wife.

What a shame. Nice guy and a player I absolutely loved!

 

[PlattsFan]

I think I touched a sore spot, or something ...

Hey, I wasn't rude or anything. I'm not a heavy poster/reader here, so I'm not really playing thread police or anything, but the heavy number of threads on every single topic sometimes makes this board hard to follow. You get into a discussion about an issue, and then it gets broken up into four or five threads all covering pretty similar ground.

I was just asking why this always seems to happen. If folks generally are happy with it, great. I'm not a heavy enough presence here to make any suggestions. But it's a legit question for a board, and, as you used my post as a jumping off point for your post, I used your thread as a jumping off point for mine. No offense meant to you. I've done the same thing once or twice, probably ...

 

[Bella*chick]

As someone already mentioned, Ted is going to have a heck of a time proving causation.

 

[RayClay]

Armen, your buddy is talking out his ass. I know an athlete that tore his bicep and never touched steroids in his life.

feel free to continue making **** up about former players though.

Do you know one that tore 2? One on each side?

 

[RayClay]

I think I touched a sore spot, or something ...

Hey, I wasn't rude or anything. I'm not a heavy poster/reader here, so I'm not really playing thread police or anything, but the heavy number of threads on every single topic sometimes makes this board hard to follow. You get into a discussion about an issue, and then it gets broken up into four or five threads all covering pretty similar ground.

I was just asking why this always seems to happen. If folks generally are happy with it, great. I'm not a heavy enough presence here to make any suggestions. But it's a legit question for a board, and, as you used my post as a jumping off point for your post, I used your thread as a jumping off point for mine. No offense meant to you. I've done the same thing once or twice, probably ...

I'm not thread police either, but it's a slow time of year. I think it's a different take and there isn't anything else going on. Just my take.

 

[wdkantro2]

I feel bad for TJ, he was always one of my favorite players and a class act every time I was around him. However, considering he had to be admitted to McLean hospital last year shows that you can't really put stock in everything he says, because he clearly has some mental issues.

 

[NEPat]

The NYT article quotes Ted as saying he's not planning a lawsuit against the Pats or Belichick. Guess he could always change his mind.

 

[Remix 6]

i think its a little bit of both's fault..Bill said that Ted never told him about the dizziness and all that when he gave him the blue and not the red jersey in practice..and could be a little bit Bill's fault for not getting the facts but who knows.

i wish Ted the best and i hope media doesnt make so much out of this and continue the "BB is classless and a scum" crap that i see on other boards