Ted Johnson admits to taking steriods in High School

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

ex-Patriot Ted Johnson said, today, on WEEI that he took steroids in high school.

ted johnson
"Well you havent asked me if I took steriods"

steve burton
(laughs) "well did you?"

johnson:
"yea, i took them in high school.....i got em from my assisstant coach in high school, took them with some buddies....I was scared to death after taking them"

 

[JoeSixPat]

ex-Patriot Ted Johnson said, today, on WEEI that he took steroids in high school.

ted johnson
"Well you havent asked me if I took steriods"

steve burton
(laughs) "well did you?"

johnson:
"yea, i took them in high school.....i got em from my assisstant coach in high school, took them with some buddies....I was scared to death after taking them"

I'm not surprised by the admission - I would be surprised if that's the only instance he took them.

Johnson had a 'roid look to him during his playing years - and I felt like his multiple muscle tears might have been attributable to some "enhanced" muscle growth as well.

But that's nothing more than a suspicion - though again, HGH is untestable, as opposed to steroids.

The bottom line is I have no doubt every NFL team has lots of guys who've done steroids and HGH. Yet at the end of the day, the sport of football is very different from baseball. Bigger, stronger guys don't have quite the same impact on the game (i.e. Home Run hitters, dominant pitchers) as say a lineman in football. No matter how big or small the players are its still a team sport. While baseball might claim the same thing, there's no disputing that adding 15 feet of power/distance to a hit baseball can make all the difference between an out and a victory.

 

[abejarano12]

I think that every team in the league has at least one player who is or has taken roids and HGH. All I can say is they must live with the choices they make.

 

[letekro]

Steroids are rampant in college football, and I'm sure HGH is widely used in the NFL - there's just too much money involved to think otherwise.

 

[scout]

The most disturbing admission is that a high school assistant coach produced and distributed them. I hope he got caught and is enjoying whatever line of work he's in.

 

[PonyExpress]

The symptoms that TJ blamed on the so-called "post concussion " are consistent with steroid withdrawal after years of abuse, not to mention amphetamine addiction. Predictable that the NYTimes and Globe writers, so eager to bring down BB, never broached the topic of steroid abuse with TJ while using him as a weapon against the man they despise. I think it's pretty clear that TJ has a problem with the truth. He can't bring himself to admit that he abused steroids while playing in the NFL, merely in "high school", blames the coach, says that after 1 concussion in college prior to 1996 he never had another one until he suffered two in one week when BB forced him to practice in 2002. After that incident he claims he had 30 more concussions. Totally implausible, a twisting of the truth to paint himself as a martyr. I pity TJ and his struggles, but his cohorts in the media have to stop enabling him just because they share a common enemy.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

I always attributed the tears to age and form. Ted is a strong dude, and he used to tackle anyone that came near him... and that often meant using his arms. Succesful armtackles cause damage, and I think, over time, have a cumulative effect. He was also getting older and probably stopped recovering as fast as when he was younger. Eventually, the strain from those type of tackles was more than the muscles could bear and thus the tearing.

 

[Xzibit23]

ex-Patriot Ted Johnson said, today, on WEEI that he took steroids in high school.

ted johnson
"Well you havent asked me if I took steriods"

steve burton
(laughs) "well did you?"

johnson:
"yea, i took them in high school.....i got em from my assisstant coach in high school, took them with some buddies....I was scared to death after taking them"

Its important to report he said he took them ONCE in highschool over a 3 day period. Thats how stuff gets misreported and interpreted..

 

[Water Boy]

I think that every team in the league has at least one player who is or has taken roids and HGH. All I can say is they must live with the choices they make.

I think that every team in the league has at least 25-40 players who is or has taken roids and HGH.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I always attributed the tears to age and form. Ted is a strong dude, and he used to tackle anyone that came near him... and that often meant using his arms. Succesful armtackles cause damage, and I think, over time, have a cumulative effect. He was also getting older and probably stopped recovering as fast as when he was younger. Eventually, the strain from those type of tackles was more than the muscles could bear and thus the tearing.

Only Ted was in his prime - mid to late 20's - years when his tears occurred...Ted didn't turn 30 until 2002. Ted has long looked like the prototypical steroid user, never more so than when he shrunk on TV as a mediot in 2006.

 

[363839]

No matter what happens the fact is Ted gave up his body for this team.
He gave us some great years and should go into the Pats hof if he isn't already.
There was a link that was posted here to WAAF interview with Ted.
He clearly has lost some brain cells as he seemed very slow about making his point sometimes never arriving to one.
But he seemed cool about the Pats and there chase to history.
Didn't hear no bitterness.

 

[PonyExpress]

No matter what happens the fact is Ted gave up his body for this team.
He gave us some great years and should go into the Pats hof if he isn't already.
There was a link that was posted here to WAAF interview with Ted.
He clearly has lost some brain cells as he seemed very slow about making his point sometimes never arriving to one.
But he seemed cool about the Pats and there chase to history.
Didn't hear no bitterness.

If we are going by on-field performance, no way is TJ a Patriot HOFer. And his bitterness overflows in the Globe and NYTimes articles.

 

[Hardboiled]

Only Ted was in his prime - mid to late 20's - years when his tears occurred...Ted didn't turn 30 until 2002. Ted has long looked like the prototypical steroid user, never more so than when he shrunk on TV as a mediot in 2006.

I thought he shrunk before that. After those tears, he seemed to lose a lot of size. I don't think you hear about those kind of tears outside of steroid use. He seemed an obvious candidate to me and I always wondered why on one ever commented on it.

 

[hallfamebrady]

The steroid problem in sports has many facets to it that filters back to money. Being number one can be the difference between manual labor and financial security for the rest of your life. Think about this, the salary cap in the NFL in 1994 was $37 million a team. Some players today almost equal this in signing bonuses.

Although all parties condemn steroids, this mind set encourages one to seek a competitive edge. It includes:

1. Players wanting to get stronger and faster to get the next big contract. They can be the difference between getting a big contract and making the team.

2. Coaches wanting their players to perform at the highest level so they have a job next season.

3. Trainers wanting to get players back on the field at all costs.

4. Owners wanting to win to fill the seats and make a profit.

The pro sport leagues need to step in and have ultra strict penalties for steroid use. I think a first offense penalty should be one year suspension. This would hit the wallet which is where this all orginates from.

 

[BigMike]

having met Ted in person after his playing days, dude is still big - lets give Ted his dues, he served us well and hope he has a long, happy life.

 

[RayClay]

Oh my, what a shock!

Glad he didn't take them while on the Patriots.

I hate to accuse anyone, especially a well liked player, so I only implied he might have used substances at the beginning of his BB accusations.

Fact is, a bicep ripping off the bone is a one in a million freak injury. Happened to him twice.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Near the end of the show there was talk on how steroids would actually be bad for an NFL player due to decreased flexability. So I started thinking like ... ughhhh ... Mike Ruth perhaps?

 

[363839]

I thought he shrunk before that. After those tears, he seemed to lose a lot of size. I don't think you hear about those kind of tears outside of steroid use. He seemed an obvious candidate to me and I always wondered why on one ever commented on it.

I don't know. Ted was a monster run stopper for us. Made some huge 4th down stops as I recall. Couldn't cover too well, admittedly.
But as a run stopper, who have the Pats had at that position that was better?