2. Andre Johnson - Houston Texans
Comment: Johnson has provided an explosive threat on the perimeter and has put up elite numbers. He has a rare combination of size, speed, athleticism and receiving skills. He has the speed to stretch the secondary deep as well as the route-running skills and size to be a threat on underneath routes across the middle or to the sidelines. He is explosive off the line and can overpower or avoid cornerbacks trying to jam him at the line of scrimmage. Johnson can sink his hips to get in and out of his breaks with a burst to separate and shows a second gear to pull away from most defenders once he gains a step on them.

14. Ed Reed - Baltimore Ravens
Comment: Reed was banged up some in 2009 and missed four regular-season games. Reed has rare instincts that enable him to be around the ball often. He has elite range and is one of the few backend defenders whom quarterbacks truly fear. Reed is a game-changer from his deep center-field position and allows the Ravens to be very aggressive with their schemes. Not only is he a supreme ball hawk with rare anticipation and ball skills, he is an extremely dangerous weapon with the ball in his hands and is an immediate threat to score. He is also a superb kick- and punt-blocker when used in that capacity. Reed has been a mainstay in the Ravens’ secondary and there is a noticeable drop-off when he is not in the lineup.

32. Reggie Wayne - Indianapolis Colts
Comment: With the departure of Marvin Harrison before the 2009 season, Wayne became the Colts’ No. 1 receiver and responded with a big year. He has good size for the position with excellent deep speed, quickness, agility and body control. He can sink his hips to get in and out of breaks with a burst to separate from defenders and has the extra gear to maintain the separation. He does a good job of reading coverages and finding the soft spots in zone to provide a good target for the quarterback. He is effective after the catch and shows vision as well as elusiveness in the open field.

36. Vince Wilfork - New England Patriots
Comment: Wilfork is coming off his sixth year in the league where he had another solid season before sustaining a foot injury late in the season. He has the size, strength and natural leverage to be productive versus double-team blocks as well as penetrate gaps when in a stunting mode. He can locate the ball after contact quickly and feels pad pressure well to restrict running lanes. Wilfork is a very good athlete for his size showing lateral agility between the tackles. He can push the pocket with a bull rush technique from the inside, but his production as pass-rusher is average at best. Wilfork is a good football player who continues to be the centerpiece for the Patriots 3-4 defensive front.

42. Jon Beason - Carolina Panthers
Comment: Beason has started all 16 games for three consecutive seasons and led the team in tackles in 2009 with 141. He has arguably become the face of the Panthers’ defense and provides leadership both on the field as well as in the locker room. He is a tackling machine
who brings instincts, effort and competitiveness. He is not the biggest linebacker, but does bring a lot of pop and explosion to his tackles.
He is more effective when protected by a big defensive line, but flashes the ability to step up and shed blocks in time to make the play. He gets good depth in his drops and is quick to pull the trigger both against the run and when closing on the pass.

58. Frank Gore - San Francisco 49ers
Comment: Gore has been a quality back who has consistently produced over the five years he has been in the league. He has gained in excess of 1,000 yards in each of the past four years, including 1,120 yards in 2009 with an average of 4.9 yards per carry. He is a compact runner who does an excellent job of running behind his pads and has the kind of balance that consistently gains yards after contact. Gore fights for yards and does a good job of finishing runs off but lacks the premier top end speed that makes him a big home-run threat. He is a good receiver out of the backfield as well as on downfield routes and knows how to read coverages and adjust his routes. He is a patient runner who does a good job of letting his offensive line create run lanes.

72. DJ Williams - Denver Broncos
Comment: Williams rebounded in 2009 after missing five games during the 2008 season due to injuries. He is an extremely gifted athlete who possesses great lateral range and the kind of quickness, agility and body control to be a factor in coverage. He can come off the edge with an explosive burst of speed or can slip through small creases when blitzing the quarterback. Williams has enough upper-body strength to take on and shed blockers and shows the ability to unload with a good pop when making the tackle in the hole. He lacks the top bulk and power to squeeze blocks down and force the ball carrier to bounce it to the outside. He has improved on his route recognition and can close on the ball with a good burst once he pulls the trigger when in zone coverage. He is still improving and appears to be on the verge of becoming an elite linebacker.

91. Kellen Winslow - Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Comment: Winslow is a former first-round draft pick who can be a franchise tight end when healthy. He is a big matchup problem as he is generally too fast and too athletic for linebackers to cover and can overpower most safeties. He can stretch the secondary down the middle and will often line up wide to match up against smaller cornerbacks. He is a willing blocker who shows effort and tenacity, but lacks the size and power to be a dominating inline blocker.

111. Vernon Carey - Miami Dolphins
Comment: He is the most versatile offensive lineman on the Dolphins roster because he has played four positions at one point or another. Carey has settled in well at the right tackle spot. He possesses a nice combination of size and strength for the position. He is a good overall athlete. He has left tackle-quality feet and athleticism. He does a good job of protecting the edges in pass protection and adjusts well versus double moves. Carey will ride the defender wide and allow the QB to move up into the pocket. He plays with good leverage in the run game. He is a solid player on an underrated offensive line.

119. Ray Lewis - Baltimore Ravens
Comment: Lewis, entering his 15th year, is coming off another extremely productive season. He has diminishing skills, but his experience, toughness and instincts enable him to be a force in the middle of the Ravens’ defense. He is a powerfully built player with outstanding tackling power between the tackles. His ability to wrap up and tackle with jolting force is still evident. He has excellent instincts and vision to react quickly to the run and pass. He has outstanding football intelligence and is able to make all the checks and adjustments needed in the complex Ravens scheme. He uses his hands to work through trash and has natural power to run through blockers. Lewis is a crafty veteran who takes great angles in pursuit and maintains leverage on the ball carrier. He is a solid pass defender primarily because of excellent anticipation and route recognition. Lewis has been remarkably durable over his career, but he clearly is on the backside of his career.

140. Eric Winston - Houston Texans
Comment: Winston has been the Texans’ starting right tackle for the past four years and has done a good job of solidifying his side of the line. He has excellent dimensions for the position with good initial quickness, body control and balance. He has a good understanding of blocking schemes and angles and is quick to engage and work his blocks. He shows good recognition of games up front like twists and stunts, and he plays the game smart. Winston is a good knee-bender who can keep his pad level down to leverage blocks and does a good job of keeping his feet moving to sustain and finish blocks off. He will overextend and let his weight get too far forward when in space and struggles to react and adjust to counter moves by the pass-rusher. Overall, he is a solid right tackle who still has potential to grow in technique and strength.

148. Jonathan Vilma - New Orleans Saints
Comment: Vilma is a slightly undersized middle linebacker who can be a disruptive playmaker thanks to rare speed, agility and a very good nose for the ball. He is a student of the game who understands blocking angles, defensive schemes and how to leverage his way to the ball. He has excellent range laterally and shows a good burst to close on the ball. He pretty much needs to stay protected by the defensive front as he lacks the size and power to take on blockers and squeeze the play down. He gets very good depth in his drops and shows good route recognition as well as the ability to read the quarterback to get a jump on the ball.

162. Brandon Meriweather - New England Patriots
Comment: Meriweather had another productive season in 2009 and has settled in as the Patriots’ starting safety. Meriweather has adequate size with very good athletic skills for the position. He displays good instincts, speed and range. He shows good versatility as he is used in a variety of alignments. Meriweather still has some inconsistencies in coverage. He struggles to maintain leverage on wide receivers and has taken poor angles out of breaks. He’s aggressive and active in run support and has been one of the most consistent players on the New England roster.

196. Calais Campbell - Arizona Cardinals
Comment: After spending his rookie season as a situational backup with the Cardinals, Campbell earned a starting position and played in all 16 games, starting 15 and finishing with 48 tackles and seven sacks in 2009. He has rare size for the position, and he is quicker and shows better speed than you’d expect for someone with his length. He shows a good feel for the position as he recognizes blocking schemes and will fight through pressure with good hand use. He must work on keeping his pad level down to leverage blocks and could use more upper-body strength to control and disengage. He has a lot of potential and has become a quality starter.

200. Devin Hester - Chicago Bears
Comment: Hester has become a larger part of the Bears’ air attack and was utilized less as a pure return specialist in 2009. He is an excellent athlete with outstanding speed, burst and quickness. He has developed as a route-runner and has made marked improvement in this area. Hester can eat up a defender’s cushion quickly with deceptive push off the line of scrimmage and can stretch deep zones with a second gear downfield. Hester is an explosive player with the ball in his hands because he can distort angles in the open field. He has average size, struggles to break tackles downfield and can get rerouted at times versus press man coverage. Hester continues to be utilized as a punt and kick returner but has lost some of his edge in this area.

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The Texans signed four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Johnson to a contract extension through the 2016 season on Thursday. The move, as general manager Rick Smith put it, essentially makes Johnson "a Texan for life."

Smith did not disclose contract terms, but John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that the extension makes Johnson the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL with an average salary of $10.5 million per year.

Johnson previously was under contract through 2014 after signing an eight-year extension in 2007. Normally, that would make re-negotiation out of the question. The Texans were willing to make an exception for Johnson, who is one of two players in NFL history along with Jerry Rice to lead the league in receiving yards in back-to-back seasons.

"Andre is in a class by himself," Texans owner Bob McNair said. "It's important to us that Andre have one home, and that's with the Texans. He's a future Hall of Famer and will probably be our first Hall of Fame player, and we wanted to make sure that he went in as a Texan."

On the first day of training camp last Friday, McNair said that he wanted to get a new deal done with Johnson within two weeks. Six days later, Smith and vice president of football administration Chris Olsen finalized the extension with Johnson's agent, Kennard McGuire.

"With having five years left on my contact, for them to do something like this for me and my family, I don't think words can really describe it," Johnson said. "All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart… I'm very happy that we were able to get everything settled and I can move forward with football."

The third overall pick out of Miami (Fla.) in 2003, Johnson joined the Texans one season after the franchise began play in 2002. He has led the team in receiving yards in each of his seven seasons and holds 14 different team records.

"To be able to play for the Houston Texans for the rest of my career, it's a tremendous honor," he said. "I always said I wanted to be a part of something special, and I knew that coming to a new organization that things were going to be a little rough in the beginning. Now, I feel like things are taking that turn for us, so I'm very excited for this upcoming season. I know the fans are excited, the whole city of Houston's excited. We're going to give them something this year to be excited about."

Johnson, 29, said that his new contract will not change the way he approaches the game.

"I do know where this organization wants to be and I know where I want the organization to be, and if it's up to me, I'll tote it on my back to hopefully be playing in Cowboys Stadium (site of Super Bowl XLV) at the end of this season," he said. "When you watch me play on Sundays, you're going to see all that I have. I'm going to lay it all on the line, so that's what you can expect from me."

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(houstontexans.com)

The Texans are close to signing Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson to a new contract that could make him the highest-paid player in the NFL at his position.

Johnson has five years remaining on his current contract. He's scheduled to make a base salary of $5.8 million this season. He said at the start of training camp last week that he wanted to be the highest-paid receiver in the league.

Owner Bob McNair said he expected to have the deal wrapped up in two weeks, but it's not going to take that long, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Wednesday night.

No specifics of the deal were given.

General manager Rick Smith and agent Kennard McGuire have been negotiating the deal, and neither returned calls Wednesday night.

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(chron.com)

HOUSTON (AP) -- Houston Texans owner Bob McNair says he hopes to sign Andre Johnson to a new contract within "a couple weeks" and keep the star receiver in Houston for his entire career.

Johnson participated in the team's first training camp workout on Friday, setting aside his still unresolved contract situation. He wants a new deal, even though he has five years left on his current $60 million contract, but he also said he didn't want to become a team distraction by holding out. Raheel Ramzanali, live from training camp, reports via Twitter that Andre Johnson says he wants to be the highest paid receiver in the NFL and is confident a deal will get done soon.

"Texans owner Bob McNair made it clear he's going to reward Andre Johnson w a huge contract soon. I'd say by preseason opener Aug. 14." 

Johnson briefly sat out of OTAs this summer, but quickly returned for work after hiring a new agent.  He also quietly showed up for training camp on time and didn't express serious concern about his contract.

Now we know why.

You can argue that the Texans are setting a bad business precedent for the the team, but we don't fully buy it.  There just aren't other players like Andre Johnson.

Still, other NFL owners won't love the concept behind this deal.  While other front offices hide behind "labor uncertainty," McNair appears ready to reward a player signed through 2014 out of the goodness in his heart.

Johnson led the NFL with 1,569 receiving yards in 2009 and topped 100 catches for the third time in four years. He says he's not worried about his contract, though he conceded he would like to become the league's highest-paid receiver.

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(profootballtalk.com)

The Houston Chronicle's John McClain hinted in a blog post Saturday that the Texans aren't necessarily out of the woods in regard to Andre Johnson's contract situation.

"I'm not convinced the Andre Johnson contract situation couldn't get ugly," wrote McClain. "When I see Johnson on the field on Friday, I'll be convinced." While GM Rick Smith is working on getting Johnson a new deal, it doesn't sound like A.J. is a lock to report on time for training camp. Of course, Johnson would risk hefty daily fines by skipping practices.

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(rotoworld.com)

Select company
Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson had 101 catches for 1,569 yards last season. He had 115 receptions for 1,575 yards in 2008.

Since the merger in 1970, Johnson and Jerry Rice are the only receivers to lead the NFL in yards in back-to-back seasons.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

CORPUS CHRISTI — When it comes to who is the all-time best receiver in Houston’s 50-year pro football history, fans may be watching him right now.

Andre Johnson has been on the shortlist of top receivers in the NFL for the past few years and is the most likely current Houston Texans to beat the past Houston Oilers on our list.

But it will be up to the voters to decide.

Help select the all-time Houston pro football team’s wide receivers (pick 2) at Caller.com. Here are the candidates (Statistics, honors and years played are from time spent only with Houston pro franchises; seasons spent with Houston pro franchises are listed in parentheses).

Kenny Burrough (1971-1981)
Third on the Oilers in career receiving yards (6,907), sixth in receptions (408) and tied for second in touchdown catches (47). Led NFL with 1,063 receiving yards in 1975. Led team in receptions seven times. Made two Pro Bowls.

Curtis Duncan (1987-1993)
Seventh in Oilers career receptions (322) and yards (3,935), with 20 touchdowns. Had 82 receptions for 954 yards in 1992 to earn Pro Bowl appearance.

Ernest Givins (1986-1994)
Oilers’ all-time leader in receptions (542) and yardage (7,935). His 46 touchdowns are fourth in franchise history. Passed 1,000 yards receiving only in rookie season. Two-time Pro Bowler. UPI All-AFC in 1990.

Bill Groman (1960-1962)
His 1,473 receiving yards in 1960 are third all-time for the Oilers. Twice, he went over 1,000 yards in a season, and twice he averaged more than 20 yards a catch. Two-time All-AFL.

Charley Hennigan (1960-1966)
Led team in receptions four times, passing the 1,000-yard mark three times. His 1,746 receiving yards in 1961 are franchise best, while 1,546 in 1964 are second-best. His 101 receptions in 1964 are most in a season for Oilers. Most receiving touchdowns in Oilers career (51) and fourth in yards (6,823). Played in five AFL All-Star games. Named All-AFL twice.

Drew Hill (1985-1991)
Cleared 1,000 yards five times and led team in receptions four times. Second on the Oilers in career receiving yards (7,477) and touchdowns (47) and third in receptions (480). Two-time Pro Bowler.

Haywood Jeffires (1987-1995)
Led team in receptions five times, including grabbing 100 in 1991. Twice cracked the 1,000-yard barrier. Second among Oilers in receptions (512) and touchdowns (47) and fifth in yards (6,119). Made three Pro Bowls and named all-pro in 1991.

Andre Johnson (2003-present)
Has caught at least 50 passes every season for the Texans, twice catching more than 100, including a franchise-high 115 in 2008. Has 7,883 receiving yards for his career and twice has surpassed 1,500 in a season. Has 42 career touchdown catches. Four-time Pro Bowler and twice all-pro.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR ANDRE JOHNSON.

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(caller.com)

When Paul Kuharsky is not giving Peyton Manning haters a savage beatdown, he's talking to Texans receiver Andre Johnson about Reggie Wayne.

They both played in college for Miami and live there for much of the offseason. Wayne’s working out at home more often, but the two have still spent time together, Johnson said.

"We talk about it; we’ve talked about it," Johnson said. "And we understand that it’s part of the business. That’s just part of it. It’s a violent game, probably the most physical game in the world. And it’s the most cut-throat game in the world. But we all understand that.

"I think he’ll be there [when the Colts open training camp]. I know Reggie; I know what kind of guy Reggie is and I’m pretty sure things will work out for him."

Like Andre Johnson, I too think that Reggie will show up for camp. However, if he doesn't, he should expect a fairly strong fan backlash. His botched route (which led to a pick six) in Super Bowl 44 had more to do with the Colts losing than Hank Baskett's muff on the onside kick that started the third quarter. So, for Reggie to demand more money now is very bad timing.

Camp opens August 1st at Anderson University.

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(stampedeblue.com)

Speaking to ESPN AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky, Texans G.M. Rick Smith made it clear that the team has a deadline for negotiations about a restructured contract for wide receiver Andre Johnson.

Week One.

"Our policy's been that we'll look at deals and we'll try to get things done during the offseason," explained Smith.  "But once the season starts, our entire focus as an organization goes to football and playing games."

Smith acknowledged that the Texans have been in discussions with Johnson's new agent, Kennard McGuire, though no new deal seems imminent.

"It's pretty well known that he's hired Kennard and we've been in contact," Smith confirmed.  "So I'll just leave it there."

Though Johnson has outplayed the eight-year, $60 million extension he signed in 2007 relative to other top NFL receivers, his camp is in a difficult position.  The Texans have Johnson under control through the 2014 season, with impending salaries of $5.8 million (2010), $6.8 million (2011), $7.3 million (2012), $7 million (2013), and $7.3 million (2014).

The sides will have to get creative to get something done before Smith's deadline.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballtalk.com)

HOUSTON – An adage in the legal profession is that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client.

Sadly, Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson(notes) is learning the NFL version of that saying the hard way. Even after he recently hired agent Kennard McGuire to represent him, the lesson will likely cost him around $20 million over the course of his career.

Until hiring McGuire, Johnson essentially represented himself, using uncle Andre Melton as an advisor. The result of that decision has been a costly mistake for a player who is perfect in so many other ways. Aside from being a great player, Johnson is extremely classy and is roundly praised as a helpful and generous teammate.

Those would be wonderful points to make in a contract negotiation … if Johnson didn’t have five years left on his current deal. He could even use those points to counter the negativity of a holdout if Johnson was playing serious hardball with the Texans by not showing up for offseason work at all. However, Johnson has been far from disruptive. Instead, he missed three days of workouts this offseason, showed up to tell management he wasn’t happy and then went back to work with his teammates.

He did that even after Melton hinted to the media that Johnson was going to play rough with the Texans.

“My uncle may have said some things about what he thought I should do, but that didn’t come from me,” said Johnson, who led the league with 1,569 receiving yards last season.

Johnson’s body language demonstrated that he was clearly uncomfortable with the idea of holding out. The idea goes against his very nature. But Johnson, 28, is also frustrated with his contract, a deal which likely will cover the rest of his most productive seasons. By the time it expires after the 2014 season, Johnson will likely be playing out the string of his career if he’s even able to do that.

“When I missed the first days [of offseason work], everybody has their own opinion like, ‘He’s greedy and this and that.’ They don’t know the whole story, they haven’t been here, so it’s something you just have to understand,” said Johnson, the third overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft. “The crazy thing about it – and this is why I say people don’t know what was going on – when I signed the contract [extension in 2007], all you heard is, ‘He’s a great guy, he’s a team player, he restructured his deal to bring other people in.’

“But now, when I ask for a restructured contract, ‘He’s greedy, he’s a diva, he’s this.’ Everybody flips on me.”

For the Texans, this is clearly an uncomfortable subject. They have a great player who is dissatisfied. Criticizing Johnson in any way would come off as bad PR.

“I want to make something clear, this is not me against Andre Johnson,” Houston general manager Rick Smith said. “Andre is a great player and person in every way.”

But …

“We didn’t give Andre a new contract [in 2007] to create cap space so we could sign free agents. We did it because he wanted more money,” Smith said.

OK, the problem is that Johnson didn’t really get a lot more than if he had played out the old deal – certainly not enough to make up for the risk of playing out his first contract.

Here’s the breakdown: As a rookie, Johnson signed a six-year, $39 million deal, which was pretty much in line with the market at the time. Then again, most rookie contracts are essentially slotted deals and the Texans were aggressive about giving Johnson a deal to get him signed on time for camp.

Where things went wrong was after the first four years of that deal in the 2007 offseason. By that time, according to NFL Players Association figures, Johnson had earned $21.71 million and had two years left on his rookie deal. He would have made $8.35 million in 2007 and again in 2008 for a total of $38.41 million over the first six years of his contract.

That also would have made Johnson a free agent or franchise player in the 2009 offseason. By then, fellow wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald(notes) (four years, $40 million) and Roy Williams (six years, $54 million) had already signed lucrative extensions.

But instead of playing out the final two years and getting leverage that comes with being a free agent or franchise player, Johnson signed a new deal in March 2007, adding six years to his original contract.

The result was basically an eight-year deal worth $60 million. If all goes well, Johnson, who is the only other receiver under 30 who ranks with Fitzgerald, will earn a total of $81.71 million over 12 years, which is basically his whole career.

Now, there’s nothing terribly wrong with that sum, but here’s the problem: Based on what Fitzgerald and Williams signed for, it’s not absurd to believe that Johnson easily could have made more than $10 million per year if he had waited. A six-year, $66 million contract, including $32 million or so guaranteed, could easily have been had.

“Andre Johnson is the one guy who could have [gotten more per year] than Larry Fitzgerald at that point,” a prominent agent said, referring to what could have happened if Johnson had waited. “The funny part is we actually had his contract used against us in one negotiation. The team said, ‘Your guy isn’t as good as Andre Johnson and look at his contract.’ ”

The bottom line is this, if Johnson had been patient, he could have hauled in more than $104 million over the same 12 years where he stands to make $81.71 million. And that’s if he stays healthy all the way through. Under the more patient scenario, nearly $70 million of that would have been guaranteed.

Some people might argue that Johnson needed to take the new deal for more security. After all, the Texans gave him $16 million in March 2007 and he has made more than $23 million total over the past three years.

OK, but Johnson was going to get at least $8.35 million in 2007 no matter and he could have easily purchased an insurance policy to cover the other $15 million he made with that extension.

And don’t expect McGuire, a talented and experienced agent, to have much luck getting a lot out of the Texans unless Johnson is willing to really play tough and hold out. Although McGuire is friendly with Smith, the Texans likely won’t do much more than add some incentives to the contract.

In other words, it would have paid for Johnson to wait.

If only he had someone who could have explained that to him.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(sports.yahoo.com)

The official team website for the Texans reports Monday that WR Andre Johnson isn't going to let his potential negotiations for a contract extension interfere with his play. "When the time comes for it, it'll come," said Johnson, who sat out the first three days of OTA workouts in an apparent contract dispute. "I'm not pressing anything or anything like that. Hopefully, it'll all work out." Johnson hired Houston-based agent Kennard McGuire on Friday, prompting speculation that he might be ready to play hardball with the Texans. But Johnson, who has five years left on an eight-year extension signed in 2007, said he does not have a timetable set for working out a new deal with the team. "I'm not really worried about it," he said. "I'm out here just trying to work and doing what I need to do to help win a Super Bowl around here. That's what I'm going to continue to do, and like I said before, if that happens, it'll happen and it will take care of itself."

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(gridironfans.com)

The Texans' Andre Johnson skipped the first three days of OTA's. And he was miserable. He knew where he wanted to be. He also knows he's grossly underpaid by just about anyone's standards, considering what he's accomplished on the field, and what he means to the Texans' success going forward.

Andre Johnson isn't just a world class wide receiver. He's a world class person. Yeah there are those that can argue that he's been paid pretty well. And then there's the whole "he's got 5 years left on his contract" argument. But he's out-performed his contract by a ton.
Let's look at some comparisons:
(All dollar amounts are estimated from several sources and are for illustrative purposes only!)

Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald signed a 4 year deal in 2008 worth an estimated $40MM. In the first two years, with bonuses, he's earned about $32MM. During those two years he recorded 193 receptions. That comes out to about $165,803.10 per catch.

The Texans' own Andre Davis inked a 4 year deal in 2008 worth about $16MM, of which he has earned about $10.1MM in the first two years. During that span he's caught 19 receptions, on which he's earned a whopping $531,578.95 each.

Then there's poor Andre Johnson. Now you find out why he's not happy. Maybe not with the Texans organization. Maybe just with his uncle...er...his "agent," that is. More on that in a sec. AJ inked an 8 year deal in 2007 worth $60MM. That's 20 million and 4 years more than Fitzgerald's deal. In the first 3 seasons of AJ's deal he's earned a total of about $26MM. In that same span he's recorded 276 receptions. Ok, all you math geniuses know where I'm going with this. For AJ's 276 receptions, he's earned a paltry $94,202.90 per catch. I know that's still a lot of money, but not by pro-football standards. And every catch AJ makes is vital to the Texans' success.

Yet, instead of throwing a temper tantrum, instead of sitting on the couch in the nice A/C playing his X-Box, he still comes out to voluntary practices. Yeah he skipped the first 3 while he thought about it. But that nagging desire to be there kept eating away at him. So he did the right thing and came to practice.

To me, that shows what a true professional Andre Johnson is. Since day one of his career with the Texans, he's continually shown, on and off the field, what a professional athlete, what a role model, is supposed to look like. He's shown how they should work, how they should perform, and how they should act.

Johnson hired Houston-based agent Kennard McGuire on Friday. The same agent that inked Andre Davis' deal. The same agent that represents Brandon Marshall, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Torry Holt. That tells me maybe AJ was unhappy with his agent more than the organization. We may never know, but one thing is certain. It's now time for the Texans, as an organization, to reward his performance, his leadership, his professionalism, and pay him what he is worth.

Like Craig Biggio was for the Astros. Like Hakeem Olajuwon was for the Rockets. Like Earl Campbell of the Oilers. Andre Johnson is professionalism defined. And I'm glad he's a Texan.

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(chron.com)

Andre Johnson spoke on Monday about the process of hiring Houston-based agent Kennard McGuire to represent him. He had been previously advised by his uncle, Andre Melton, but Johnson said Melton helped him decide to hire McGuire.

“I really just felt comfortable with him,” Johnson said. “He's right here in the city of Houston, and when we're practicing, he's (sometimes) out here watching.”

As for any changes in his contract, Johnson said he doesn't have a timetable and that he's focused on football.

“I'm not really worried about that right now,” Johnson said. “When the time comes for it, it'll come.”

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(chron.com)

Texans WR Andre Johnson said Monday he isn't concerned about the status of his contract and isn't pushing the team to renegotiate his long-term deal.

Johnson participated in his second straight OTA workout after sitting out the first three last week. He hired Kennard McGuire as his new agent on Friday, but said Monday it shouldn't necessarily be considered a sign he is making a play for a new contract.

"When the time comes for it, it'll come," Johnson of contract talks. "I'm not pressing anything or anything like that. Hopefully, it'll all work out."
Johnson is due to make less than $6 million next season and has five years left on his deal. Other comparable receivers, such as Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald and Miami's Brandon Marshall, have contracts with average values more than $10 million per year.

A four-time Pro Bowler, Johnson said last week he wants to retire with the Texans.

"Like I said, I'm not really worried about it," Johnson said Monday. "I'm out here just trying to work and doing what I need to do to help win a Super Bowl around here. That's what I'm going to continue to do, and like I said before, if that happens, it'll happen and it will take care of itself."

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(usatoday.com)

Andre Johnson is showing the Texans he’s ready to play hardball by hiring Houston-based agent Kennard McGuire to represent him, according to a person close to the Pro Bowl wide receiver.

Johnson, 28, had been advised by his uncle, Andre Melton, in his first two negotiations with the Texans — a six-year, $39 million contract ($12.5 million guaranteed) in July 2003 and an eight-year, $60 million extension ($15 million guaranteed) in March 2007.

Johnson, who missed the first three days of organized team activities before reporting Thursday, is unhappy with his contract that has five years remaining and calls for him to make a $5.8 million base salary this year.

After working out with his teammates for the first time Thursday, Johnson said he was there to stay. Johnson (6-3, 225 pounds) will focus on football and allow McGuire to see if he can convince general manager Rick Smith to give his new client a better deal.

McGuire represents NFL receivers Brandon Marshall, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Torry Holt.

He recently negotiated Marshall’s four-year, $47.5 million extension with Miami that included $23 million guaranteed.

McGuire negotiated Texans receiver Andre Davis’ four-year, $16 million contract that included $8 million guaranteed.

Among McGuire’s other clients are defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, offensive tackle Orlando Pace, defensive end Cory Redding and defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.

Johnson, who has earned about $27 million in the first three years of his extension, has been voted to the Pro Bowl in three of the past four years. He led the NFL in yards receiving in each of the past two seasons with 1,575 in 2008 and 1,569 in 2009. He had 115 and 101 receptions over the past two seasons.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

Saying his absence from the team's first three voluntary practices over a contract dispute was "out of character", Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson told KRIV-TV in Houston that he was eager to rejoin his teammates.

"My big thing is I just want to be out there with my teammates and help us accomplish our goals," Johnson told KRIV. "Me sitting out is not going to help, so I chose to come back."

As expected, Johnson was on the practice field with his Texans teammates Thursday.

Johnson has five years left on an eight-year contract worth $60 million that included $15 million in guarantees. He is considered one of the top receivers in the NFL, but his contract doesn't place him among the highest-paid players at his position with Larry Fitzgerald and Brandon Marshall earning significantly more.

The Texans reworked his original contract three years ago when it had two years remaining.

"Me not showing up is out of my character and that's why I'm here. I just hope things will work out," Johnson told KRIV.

"I feel like the team understands my situation and I know theirs and we can meet at a certain point and get it done and have a successful season," he told KRIV.

Johnson's uncle and agent Andre Melton told The Associated Press that a meeting Wednesday with the team's front office went "extremely well."

Johnson's return is a smart move in dealing with a team that has had a policy under general manager Rick Smith to negotiate only with players who are participating in team activities. Melton seemed encouraged by his talk with team officials on Wednesday.

"I'm pretty sure it will be a win-win for everybody," he said when asked if he believes the two sides can agree to a deal that will make Johnson happy.

Johnson, the third overall pick in 2003, is entering his eighth season. He has led the league in receiving in each of the last two seasons.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

Star wide receiver Andre Johnson returned to the Texans’ fold Thursday, sounding chastened after missing the team’s first three voluntary organized team activities and seemingly suggesting he wouldn’t skip future off-season workouts as a way of showing dissatisfaction with his contract.

“I didn’t feel right being at home,” Johnson said. “That’s not me. I never miss OTAs. I’ve always been here, so I came in. I’m man enough to say that it was (out of character for him to be a no-show). I’m disappointed about it. I talked to everybody (in Texans’ management). There are no grudges and I don’t have any grudges toward them. We’re just going to move on.

“You can’t really win against the organization. When you’re under contract, they can hold you to it. It’s up to them to re-do it, give you an extension or whatever. They really don’t have to do anything. But I’m past all that now. I’m here working and I’m going to continue to work and hopefully we can achieve our goal of getting to the playoffs and winning the super Bowl.

“Hopefully everything works out. That’s it. I plan on being a Texan until the day I retire.”

The 28-year-old Johnson was the Texans’ first draft choice in 2003 and has made the Pro Bowl three of the last four seasons. But, before he posted back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons with 226 receptions in 2008-09, he signed an eight-year, $60 million extension in March of 2007 that included $15 million in guaranteed money. He stands to earn $5.8 million in 2010 base salary.

In an arrangement that’s rare among high-profile NFL players, Johnson has always been represented by his uncle, Andre Melton, who isn’t an officially certified agent.

Asked if he had “outperformed his contract,” Johnson said: “Well, you know, everybody has certain feelings, but I’d rather not talk about it.”

Owner Bob McNair also met with the press  to discuss the situation. He said the team was willing to hear Johnson out. They spoke for the first time Wednesday.

“Andre came to see me and wanted to assure me that he loved being a Texan and that he’s a team player, that nothing has changed,” McNair said. “I told him we just missed having him out here and that we wanted him out here.

“With any of our players, if they’ve got something they want to talk about, we’re always willing to sit down and review their situation . . . help them understand what the team’s obligations and parameters are. There are some things we can do and some things we can’t.

“Andre’s a special player so, of course, we’ll listen. We’ll see what’s bothering him, where he’s coming from, and then see if something can be done.”

McNair said he wouldn’t personally participate in any process that might lead to a re-structuring of Johnson’s deal.

“I don’t do any negotiations,” he said. “(General manager) Rick Smith handles that.”

Smith didn’t make himself available for comment. There’s no word yet on when Smith and Johnson might sit down together.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak admitted he felt a measure of relief seeing No. 80 in the mix, even if the OTAs aren’t mandatory.

“It’s great to have him back,” Kubiak said. “Andre’s been the heart and soul of this football team for a long time. I’m not worried about Andre. He’ll be ready to play. Nobody works harder than him. “But you’ve got to understand there’s about 30 new faces out here who know who he is but didn’t see him in the locker room the last few days That’s really important. (Everybody’s) energy just picked up today.”  

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

So Andre Johnson is back, just as most figured he would be and a few days earlier than we predicted.

Did you get over your little panic attack, Houston?

Many of you took the news that Johnson didn't show up for voluntary meetings earlier this week with the right attitude: Real practice begins in July, games in September. Others of you took it as evidence that the Texans won't make the playoffs.

The worst among you took it as another slap in the face from a rich athlete whining about not making enough money.

Amazing, since Johnson, who will be on the field with the Texans at today's voluntary workout, hasn't whined, complained or otherwise said a word about money.

If you wonder why athletes sometimes don't seem to care about what fans think, check out what some fans have said about Johnson the last few days.

We're talking about a hard-working wide receiver who has done just about everything right in his seven-year career. He has done more for the Texans than the Texans have done for him.

What's fair really isn't
Other than pay him quite well to do a job — and for the past couple of years he has done it better than anybody else on the planet — what have the Texans really done for Johnson? They've stuck him with a group of co-workers who weren't good enough to make the playoffs.
So why wouldn't he just leave and go play somewhere else? Well, he can't because he has five years left on a contract. Ah, the NFL contract.
NFL contracts are like marriages in which only one person has to make vows.

Unlike those in professional baseball, basketball and hockey, NFL contracts are largely non-guaranteed.

Judging from some of the nasty correspondence I've received on Johnson, many of you don't know that if the Texans were unhappy with Johnson they could send him on his way without having to pay him another dime.

The money he is due per the contract in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 will go to Johnson only if the Texans decide to give it to him.
Yeah, that's a fair contract all right.

So if Bob McNair can rip up the contract whenever he likes, why can't Johnson request it be modified to his liking? Never hurts to ask.
Some of you even claimed it is immoral for Johnson to ask for a raise, as if his position in the saintly occupation of pass catcher precludes him from seeking a bump in pay on occasion. How un-American is that?

If lazy Lisa, three cubicles over, made more than your hard-working self, wouldn't you ask for a raise?

Have you ever sought a better interest rate on a loan? A better cellular phone deal? Why would you do such an immoral thing? Didn't you sign a contract? Please.

No offense taken
It is only smart that an NFL player should use leverage on those rare occasions he accidentally has some. One day the Texans will tell Johnson he can no longer work for them, and it won't matter how many years he has left on his contract then.

This is a good spot for a side note: Johnson hasn't broken any of the terms of his contract.

Missing three days of these unofficial practices is viewed by the league as a milder transgression than wearing the wrong color shoestrings in a game. A player would be fined for the latter.

With participating media pushing fans to attack players for doing nothing more than conducting solid business, NFL management doesn't even have to do its own dirty work when it comes to these types of contract discussions.

Johnson isn't a bad guy or poor leader because of what he did this week.

Know this: If the Texans had a few more Andre Johnsons, the words Super Bowl and Texans wouldn't draw laughter when they showed up in the same sentence. But there are only a few Johnson-level players in the NFL.

One e-mailer thought a painter signing a contract to do work at his house was an apt comparison to Johnson's situation with the Texans.
Ludicrous.

Johnson isn't some house painter easily replaced by thumbing through the Yellow Pages. He's Picasso.

Use leverage when can
There are roughly 250 people who do what Johnson does in the NFL, perhaps five who do it anywhere near as well as he does.

Does that make him special? Well, yes, for the brief period in his life when he will be the best in the world at what he does.

Better that he asks for a raise now, while he is the best, than wait for the Texans to take money off the table when he no longer is. (And one day that will happen.)

I don't understand why any of you would see that as a slap in your face.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

Houston Texans' Andre Johnson(notes) was one of the league's top receivers last year, if not the best, and he would like to be paid more than the $5.8 million he's owed in his current contract for the coming season. So he used a little leverage and didn't bother showing up for a few Organized Team Activities.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Johnson is ending his little "holdout" today but that is likely because his agent brother Andre Mellon was promised a meeting on Friday with GM Rick Smith.

If things don't go the way Mellon likes tomorrow, don't be surprised if Johnson saves his holdout power for another period of time closer to the start of the season.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(sports.yahoo.com)

It was bad enough for the Houston Texans when they were dealing with Brian Cushing, the ramifications of what he did or did not take, and the resulting four-game suspension that will kick off Cushing's 2010 season. Now, receiver Andre Johnson(notes), the team's best player, is making noise about his contract. He's not happy about an eight-year, $60 million contract extension that he signed in March of 2007 that will pay him a base salary of $5.8 million this season. That base jumps to $6.8 million in 2011 and $7.3 million in 2012, narrows off to $7 million in 2013, and goes back up to $7.3 million in 2014. Add in $15 million in guaranteed money, and it sounds like a lot of scratch ... until you compare Johnson's contract with other recent receiver deals.

Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald(notes) signed a new deal in March of 2008, a four-year, $40 million contract that gave him $30 million guaranteed and $12.1 million in option and roster bonuses alone in 2009. Fitzgerald's base is $6.3 million in 2010 -- just half a million over Johnson's -- but it's the way in which the contract is structured that gives the advantage to Fitzgerald. Three-quarters of Fitzgerald's contract is guaranteed, while Johnson's guaranteed money comprises just one-fourth of his total deal. When Roy Williams signed a six-year, $54 million deal with the Cowboys upon his trade from the Lions in October 2008, he got more than $26 million guaranteed, including a $10 million option bonus in the second year. He has a couple of years in which the deal is voidable -- 2013 and 2014 have base salaries of over $8 million -- but Williams will earn far more than his on-field production has been worth.

And that's where Johnson is in the right. As great as Fitzgerald has been, there's little doubt that Johnson has been the NFL's most productive receiver over the last few years. Last season, Johnson was targeted 172 times to Fitzgerald's 153 and Williams' 86. As Houston's offense has gone extremely pass-heavy, Johnson has been the focus of every defense playing the Texans, and he's still been able to put up ridiculous numbers -- his 1,569 receiving yards led the league by more than 200 yards over New England's Wes Welker(notes). No receiver had more plays of 20 yards or more last season than Johnson's 22. In 2008, Johnson led the league in catches (115) and receiving yards (1,575). And Houston's overall game plan isn't going to change anytime soon, which means that Johnson will continue to be the pointman in that offense.

Johnson is currently absent from the Texans' OTAs, and General Manager Rick Smith has said that the team has a strict policy of refusing to negotiate with players who aren't present. Johnson negotiated that extension with the help of Andre Melton, his uncle and agent, and Melton was quoted as saying last season that he had an "exit strategy" for Johnson if the Texans didn't pony up. Johnson went on the record and disagreed with that notion, but he's got a point when it comes to his compensation. Perhaps step one is to hire a more experienced advisor to help him through the process.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(yahoosports.com)

Just as the story of Brian Cushing's suspension is due to quiet down some, the Houston Texans are faced with a new drama.

John McClain and Mark Berman report that Andre Johnson was not a part of Monday’s opening organized training activities session because he’s dissatisfied with his deal.

Johnson has five years remaining on his contract and will make a base salary of $5.8 million in 2010. When he still had two years remaining on his original deal, the Texans redid it in March of 2007. He got an eight-year, $60 million package with $15 million guaranteed.

Berman talked to GM Rick Smith about Johnson’s absence Monday.

"I'm not real worried about that," said Rick Smith. "We re-did him with two years left on his original deal and that was three years ago.

"And over the first three years of that deal, I think if you even ask him, he's been well compensated.

"He's got five years left on that deal. We're willing to sit down and talk with him and he knows that."

Smith acknowledges that re-doing a contract with five years left is unusual.

"It's very difficult," said Smith. "It's something that's not customary, but we've got a relationship with him and he knows we are willing to sit down and talk with him."

If Johnson wanted to get management’s attention more publicly, so be it. But he’s rated as a true pro and saw how Dunta Robinson’s contract dispute was unhealthy for the team last year.

Johnson has a tremendous amount invested in the Texans. With Houston believing it’s ready to make the jump into the playoffs, I have a hard time imagining Johnson would create an extended scenario where he or his contract is an issue.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

HOUSTON -- Andre Johnson has five years remaining on a $60 million contract he signed with the Texans in 2007. The star receiver feels that he's already outplayed that contract, however, and was missing from the start of Houston's voluntary organized team activities on Monday.

Johnson, who led the NFL in receiving yards last season (1,569 yards), is scheduled to make $5.8 million this season.

Texans general manager Rick Smith said Monday that Johnson was missing because he was unhappy with his current contract.

Since Johnson signed his contract, the Arizona Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald received a four-year, $40 million deal and new Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall agreed to a four-year, $47 million contract after he was traded from the Denver Broncos.

Smith said that he was "not real worried" about the four-time Pro Bowler's absence.

"He's got five years left on [the deal he signed in 2007]. We're willing to sit down and talk with him and he knows that," Smith said.

Still, Smith said that redoing a contract with five years remaining will be challenging.

"It's very difficult," Smith said. "It's something that's not customary, but we've got a relationship with him and he knows we are willing to sit down and talk with him."

The team's policy under Smith has been to negotiate only with players who are participating in team activities. Smith pointed to what star middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans did last offseason when he was unhappy with his contract.

"One of the things that was real smart on his part was the fact that he was upset that we had not been able to come to terms with an agreement, but he came back and was a part of the offseason workout and he was with his teammates, he was a leader and he did things the right way," Smith said. "He played his contract out and he was rewarded."

Johnson's absence is another distraction for a team that has been dealing with Brian Cushing's upcoming four-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. The 2010 season could be a pivotal one for the team, which is coming off its first winning record but has never reached the playoffs.

"You'd like to have all your people out here working, especially when we're trying to go do something we never have done," Smith said. "So the ideal situation is to have everybody working together, but as we talked about last week, you've got to be able to deal with distractions."
Smith said he has spoken to the receiver but wouldn't divulge details about their conversations.

"Obviously we want Andre here," coach Gary Kubiak said. "I know he and Rick are talking, so we'll get it worked out. We're not worried about Andre. He'll do his job."

Johnson has 587 receptions for 7,948 yards and 42 touchdowns in seven NFL seasons -- all with Houston.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

Andre Johnson has four years left on the six-year, $60-million extension, including $15 million guaranteed, he signed in 2007.

Last week, Johnson took notice of the contract receiver Brandon Marshall got from Miami — four-years, $47.5 million, including $24.5 million guaranteed.

Marshall's contract was negotiated by Houston agent Kennard McGuire, who's been on a roll that began with New England's Vince Wilfork (five years, $40 million, $25 million guaranteed) and Green Bay's Ryan Pickett (four years, $28 million, $14 million guaranteed).

“Since Brandon signed that big contract, I've been getting a lot of text messages and phone calls,” Johnson said. “Everybody's like, ‘Hey, what are you going to do?'

“I can't worry about that. All I can do is to talk to people (general manager Rick Smith) upstairs. If it works out, it works out. If it doesn't, it doesn't. Anything's possible, though.

“I think it depends on the way you go about it. A lot of guys say harsh things in the media, and sometimes that takes them out of position. I think if you go about it in a respectable way, it can be done. It's important to me. It's not something out of the norm. It's just part of the business.”

Click here to order Andre Johnson's proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

Check out photos of proCanes all around Miami during Pro Bowl and Super Bowl Week. We'd like to thank fellow Cane Katrina Campins for sending us the photos.


Alice Vilma, Ken Dorsey and fellow UM Alum and The Campins Company Founder & Owner Katrina Campins at Movie Director Michael Bay's house for the BIG GAME BIG GIVE during SUPERBOWL Week.

DJ Williams and and Katrina Campins at the Paparazzi Pool Party hosted by Terrell Owens, Chad Ochcocinco, Ludacris and Campins.

Tavares Gooden and Katrina Campins at the Paparazzi Pool Party hosted by Terrell Owens, Chad Ochcocinco, Ludacris and Campins.

Willis McGahee and fellow UM Alum and The Campins Company Founder & Owner Katrina Campins at Movie Director Michael Bay's house for the BIG GAME BIG GIVE during SUPERBOWL Week.

The Campins Company Sports & Entertainment real estate client Chicago Bears NFL Tight End Greg Olsen,  The Campins Company Founder & Owner Katrina Campins & Campins Chicago Luxury Real Estate Specialist Kara Olsen with Emily & Brett Romberg during SUPERBOWL Week at the Evening with UM Football Greats event.

Kenny Phillips and Tavares Gooden at the Evening with UM Football Greats event.

Edgerrin James and Clinton Portis at the Evening with UM Football Greats event.

Ed Reed, Edgerrin James, Santana Moss, Andre Johnson and many more proCanes at the Evening with UM Football Greats event.

The Campins Company Sports & Entertainment real estate client Carolina Panthers NFL linebacker Jon Beason & Chicago Bears NFL Tight End Greg Olsen,  The Campins Company Founder & Owner Katrina Campins & Campins Chicago Luxury Real Estate Specialist Kara Olsen during SUPERBOWL Week at the Evening with UM Football Greats event.

The Campins Company Sports & Entertainment real estate client Carolina Panthers NFL linebacker Jon Beason ,The Campins Company Founder & Owner Katrina Campins & Campins Chicago Luxury Real Estate Specialist Kara Olsen during during SUPERBOWL Week at the Evening with UM Football Greats event.

Antrel Rolle being interviewed at the Evening with UM Football Greats event.

MIAMI -- C.J. is vocal.

New Orleans Saints wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson is known for pushing his players relentlessly.

"He's a screamer, " New Orleans Saints receiver Robert Meachem said.

C.J. is a comic.

"We can mess up, run the wrong route in practice, and we'll tell him, 'We got it. We kind of messed up on this one, ' " Meachem said. "We get back in the film room, he already knows you messed up, but he'll get onto you again in front of everybody -- and make a joke out of it, have everybody laughing at you."

C.J. is among the nittiest of pickers to pick a nit.

"He's definitely on us all the time, " receiver Marques Colston said. "The thing with him is, he doesn't allow you to take anything off -- even the break periods. Everyone else is on a knee getting a drink, and we're over there catching footballs."

But Curtis Johnson -- a New Orleans-born, St. Charles High graduate who has been the wide receivers coach for the Saints since 2006 -- is a master at what he does, with his work highlighted along the way as the Saints prepare for the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday in Miami.

The receivers he tutors are better after having worked with him. Each one he has come into contact with as a Saint, and the ones he tutored as receivers coach at the University of Miami, is better for having had the experience.

Colston, a seventh-round pick in 2006 who had as bad a rookie minicamp as could be imagined, has been a 1,000-yard receiver in three of his four seasons. Devery Henderson averaged 23.3, 20.5 and 24.8 yards per catch from 2006-08 before dipping to 15.8 yards per catch this season, but he caught a career-high 51 passes and became more of a complete threat.

And Meachem, a first-round pick and target of scorn that entered this season with 12 catches in his first two seasons, hauled in 45 passes for 722 yards and nine touchdowns during the regular season.

Sure, some of that's owed to maturity and improved work habits and self-evaluation -- and it's not like Saints receivers are void of talent.
The three mentioned all were draft picks (Henderson a second-rounder), and while New Orleans got lucky with Colston, there still had to be a reason for picking him.

And some is owed to the excellence of quarterback Drew Brees, who's on a run of efficiency that's unmatched in franchise history.
But some of their development can be attributed to Johnson's relentless pushing.

"He makes you 10 times better, " Meachem said. "Our receiver corps is like a family, and we don't want to let each other down. And with C.J., we really don't want to let him down."

Said Colston: "Even during break periods, we're doing something, still working. At first it irritates you at times, but you see the end result. He has made us so much better as players and as a group. The end result has made us that much better as players, and we appreciate it at the end of the day."

There's no better illustration of that than this: "He's taught me a lot, " Colts receiver Reggie Wayne said. "He's pretty much taught me everything I know, and I'll do my best to not let him down."

Johnson coached Wayne at Miami, where Wayne set a school record with 173 receptions.

These days, Wayne is a two-time All-Pro who is one of the most dangerous receivers in the league.

So it's no small thing when he, and receivers like Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans and Santana Moss of the Washington Redskins, give props to their mentor.

"That means a lot to me, " Johnson said. "Reggie was a young man I recruited. Very, very sharp guy and understands the game and understands his situation. I'm just very proud of him.

"All of those guys (from Miami), I'm proud of but especially him, doing what he's doing in the NFL. I never thought it would be that good for him, but he's worked his tail off. He's something special."

The same might be said of Johnson.

True, none of his Saints receivers have received a Pro Bowl invite while Brees finished second in the voting for MVP this season, had the second-highest single-season total for passing yards (5,069) last season and has led the NFL in passing yards since 2006.

But Colston has averaged 71 catches for 1,018 yards and eight touchdowns per season, Henderson and Meachem have become much more than decoys, and Lance Moore -- injured and in and out of the lineup for New Orleans this season -- caught 10 touchdowns last season.
Neither is the player he was before he met Johnson.

"I love my receiving corps, " Brees said. "As a group, they are the best in the league. When you talk about what each one of them brings to the field and to our offense, each one of them has some very unique strengths. They all work so well together.

"They understand that throughout the course of a game, 'Today might be my day. I might be able to catch 10 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. While other days I might only catch one pass, my role is still just as important because I'm creating opportunities for other guys. It might be another guy's big catch today.' "

They're ready because Johnson makes sure they're ready.

"I try not to let any stones go unturned, " Johnson said. "I just try to make sure, even the little things, I stay on it -- stay on them. I know I aggravate 'em a lot, and I know I'm on 'em a LOT.

"But the bottom line is if you're a professional, and you want to be professional. You want to put your product on the field every time. I just love seeing those guys perform, and I love seeing them play. But they do work hard, and they do respond. Sometimes, I'm a little bit unreasonable, but it's working out good for them."

Said Meachem: "C.J. knows we've got an opportunity to be great and be special. All he tries to do is get us to be special. As a receiver, you've got to have high standards for yourself. Your coach's goals can't be higher than yours.

"He asks you, 'What kind of player do you want to be when you leave this game?' If you say you want to be one of the best, then he's going to push you to be one of the best. A lot of times coaches see things in you that you really don't see in yourself at times, and he just pushes you to a level where you can only perform to be good."

He screams, he jokes, he picks the nits -- and the Saints are better for it.



(nola.com)

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. - Since 2002, and for the past 122 weeks in which an NFL game has been played, a player from the University of Miami has scored a touchdown.

For 14 consecutive years, at least one Hurricanes player has been a first-round NFL draft choice.

Sunday evening in Super Bowl XLIV, a handful of former Hurricanes, from Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne to Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma and tight end Jeremy Shockey will participate in the NFL championship game, a destination most who pass through the football program at the Coral Gables, Fla., school come to expect from the moment they arrive on the palm tree-lined campus through the time their name is called by the NFL commissioner on draft night.

"Those kids who go there expect to be at this level, " said Saints wide receiver coach Curtis Johnson, who held the same position on the Hurricanes' staff when Wayne played there. Johnson coached there from 1996 to 2005. "A lot of places I've seen, just going to different colleges, guys don't have that same expectation. At Miami that is the expectation. That is what Miami is.

"They say, 'We're supposed to go here and win a national championship' then they're supposed to go to the NFL and play for 10 years."

And along the way, pick up a Super Bowl ring or two to supplement the jewelry they won at "the U," to which the university is lovingly referred.
The list of alumni who've prospered in the NFL is long and glittering, from Michael Irvin to Ray Lewis, from Ed Reed to Russell Maryland, from Vinny Testaverde to Bernie Kosar, from Santana Moss to Andre Johnson, from Warren Sapp to the late Jerome Brown, from Ted Hendricks to Edgerrin James.

"There are a bunch of us, a lot of products of the University of Miami here, " said Shockey, who, as his college teammate Vilma, makes his Super Bowl debut Sunday, the next line of succession after the pair won a national championship in the Rose Bowl against Nebraska in 2001, one of five the school has claimed.

"And all I can say to those who do play for the University of Miami now is to enjoy your moment in college. It was the best time of my life. It was a great feeling to win the national championship and be a part of that college."

For Vilma, the return to the area as a member of the Saints' first Super Bowl team also is engendering fond memories.

"We talked about that a little bit at the beginning, " Vilma said of a conversation he shared with Shockey, "and we said, 'We're back at it again.' This is our first time, obviously his first Super Bowl (Shockey was injured as a member of the Giants for Super Bowl XLII), my first Super Bowl, and this is an exciting moment for us. But it only becomes a special moment if you win.

"We felt that way when we were playing in the Rose Bowl against a good Nebraska team. We felt like it was a special moment for us, but it's only special if you go out there and you take care of business."

That has been a mantra that has followed most Miami players into the NFL.

"Everybody who comes to that school works hard, " said Wayne, a native New Orleanian who played at Ehret and counts Johnson as his mentor. "Hard work pays off. This is an opportunity to show what (Miami alums) have been working toward, with hard work and dedication. I just want to go out there and represent the school on a good note and hopefully come out on top.

"My mentor at UM, my receiver coach in college was Curtis Johnson. He has taught me a lot. He's pretty much taught me everything I know. And I'll do my best to not let him down."

At the conclusion of last Sunday's Pro Bowl, Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson and most of the other former Hurricanes who'd been selected to play in the game, a total of 10, gathered near midfield for a group photo.

"It was like being with your brothers, " Johnson said that night. "A lot of those guys I have played with and went through a lot of blood, sweat and tears with and won a national championship with them, so it was just a lot of fun. We have something that I don't think any other school has. A camaraderie that I can't really explain. We're always together in the offseason, training together back at the school. So just to be out here with all these guys is just a lot of fun."

Andre Johnson said he believes the bond between former Miami players is stronger than at other schools.

"Sometimes you hear other guys talk about it that went to different colleges, " he said. "Evidently it's something that they see. Most of the time, when you see a guy from the U, he has another guy with him that he played with. That's just something that we do."

Curtis Johnson said he believes Miami's regimented program better prepares athletes for the challenges they'll face in the NFL.

"The coaches are no-nonsense, " Johnson said. "Guys get to the NFL and sometimes you've almost got to de-recruit them. Miami doesn't do that. I think you just continue to teach there. They have this progression that they do, starting them off as freshmen. They get them up early in the morning doing the things that's going to make them successful in life. Those guys do a great job.

"It's very much like a professional program. The demands are the same, similar to what we have (in the NFL). It's very much a structured program. In the NFL, you tell them what to do. You don't have options. Miami is the same way. They tell them how it's going to be done. And you've just got to do it."

Such uniformity, Vilma said, made his transition into pro football somewhat seamles, s and the competition he faced in college prepared him for the challenges of the NFL.

"I definitely noticed the similarities, " Vilma said. "And another thing was the talent level. You had guys where you couldn't afford to take a play off, not because you were tired or didn't feel like it. It was because if you stepped out, the next guy was coming in and he was going to probably take your job. It was just that way. It really created a good atmosphere, a very competitive atmosphere, when we played."
The pro-type offenses and defenses to which players at Miami are exposed, said Curtis Johnson and Shockey, also are advantageous.

"Ultimately, " Shockey said, "being a part of the University of Miami helps you once you get to the NFL. Unlike some kids who go to some schools, we had a complex offense and we were already polished when we got to the pros.

"That's why you see so many University of Miami guys in big games like this and the Pro Bowl. You see them drafted high because they're prepared. A lot of other college guys aren't. At Miami, you're there to take the next step."



(nola.com)

Check out our exclusive photos from Saturday Morning's AFC and NFC Pro Bowl Practices. Six of the record 11 proCane Pro Bowlers were on hand, including Warren Sapp of the NFL Network. Click here or above on the proCanes Gallery link to view the photos.

As the years passed, Andre Johnson never forgot the promise he made his mom.

That's why he's back at the University of Miami this semester. Working toward a degree. Making good on a promise.

“I told my mom I'd finish,” he said Saturday morning from South Florida. “I just never said when.”

He laughs when he thinks about how much time has passed. Has it really been seven years? Will he really celebrate his 29th birthday this summer?

“I was sitting around one day this season thinking about what I'd told my mom,” he said. “Why not do it now? I've been out seven years and just felt it was time.”

He's 30 hours away from a liberal arts degree and is taking three sociology classes worth 12 hours this spring. To be back in a classroom setting after so long is, well, a shock to the system.

“It's different,” he said. “Like I said, it has been 6½ years since I'd taken a class. The thing that helped me is I did know what to expect. It's just that I hadn't done it in so long.”

Has he enjoyed it?

“Yes,” he said. “It's so different, but I'm dedicated to doing this. Hopefully, I can finish.”

Big men on campus
He's thinking of switching to sociology as he looks ahead to life after football. He has made millions and established himself as one of the NFL's best players, a rare combination of size and strength, speed and smarts.

Rookies Brian Cushing and James Casey are also back in school this semester. But they're less than a year removed from school, so it surely is easier.

“Your world gets flipped,” Casey said. “In a week, you go from playing the New England Patriots in front of 70,000 to sitting in a classroom discussing King Lear.”

Johnson is the Texan against whom every other is measured in terms of production, character, work ethic, you name it. He'll play in his fourth Pro Bowl tonight after a season in which he led the NFL in receiving yards (1,569) for a second straight season and was third with 101 catches.

He's 15th among active receivers in catches and yardage, but every player in front of him is older. He and Jerry Rice are the only receivers to lead the NFL in yardage in back-to-back seasons.

But he believes he has a more substantive contribution to make and thinks his second career will be coaching high school football. Thus another reason to get a degree.

“These kids are going through a lot of the same things I went through,” he said. “I think someone that has been down the road might help others avoid the same mistake. Maybe I can make things easier for them.”

Hurricanes pride
This has been a week of celebrating a great career where it started. He attended Miami High before The U., and if the Pro Bowl was going to be any place other than Hawaii, it's in the right place for Johnson and 10 other former Hurricanes in the game.

“I've been here two weeks taking classes,” he said, “so I've had some time to visit with families and coaches. It's great being here this week. I'm getting a lot of love.

“I think guys look forward to Hawaii, but it's the Pro Bowl and guys are having fun.”

Eleven former Hurricanes in this Pro Bowl is a record for players from one school, breaking the mark of nine by USC in the 1986 game.
“It's a tremendous honor,” Johnson said. “It shows what we represent.”

Which will come first?

He represents what every professional athlete should represent. All that's missing on his résumé is a trip to the playoffs … and a degree.

For a time, it seemed his magnificent talents might be wasted because the Texans didn't put enough other good players around him. They're coming off their first winning season and missed the playoffs by the thinnest of margins. They'll begin 2010 cautiously confident their time is now.

“I feel good about where we're at,” he said. “I'm disappointed we didn't make it, but we‘re headed in the right direction. I truly believe that.”

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

Frank Gore and Andre Johnson head into their first meeting of the 2010 Pro Bowl.

Click here to order Andre Johnson's or Frank Gore's proCane Rookie Card.



(twitter.com)

The NFL 2010 Pro Bowlers were announced with 11 proCanes named on the AFC and NFC rosters.

AFC:
- Andre Johnson - WR - Houston Texans - Starter
- Brandon Meriweather - S - New England Patriots - Starter
- Reggie Wayne - WR - Indianapolis Colts - Starter
- Vince Wilfork - DL - New England Patriots
- Ray Lewis - MLB - Baltimore Ravens - Starter
- Ed Reed - S - Baltimore Ravens - Starter
- DJ Williams - OLB - Denver Broncos - Alternate

NFC:
- Bryant McKinnie - OL - Minnesota Vikings - Starter
- Jonathan Vilma - MLB - New Orleans Saints
- Antrel Rolle - S - Arizona Cardinals - Starter
- Frank Gore - RB - San Francisco 49ers - Starter

*Updated 1/25/10

Click here to read ESPN's feature on Andre Johnson

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.

proCanes Ray Lewis and Andre Johnson were named to the 2009 NFL AP All- Pro Team. This is the 7th time in his career Ray Lewis has been named to the AP All-Pro team and it is Andre Johnson's 2nd time. Congrats to both!

proCanes Jon Beason, Reggie Wayne, and Ed Reed were named to the 2009 NFL AP All- Pro 2nd Team.

Click here to order Any proCane Rookie Card.

(allstargrind.com)

Andre Johnson has been voted as the NFL Alumni Wide Receiver of the Year for the third time.

Johnson, who caught 101 passes for 1,569 yards, won the award for the second consecutive season.

The only other Texans to win the award were kickoff returner Jerome Mathis (2005) and defensive end Mario Williams (2007).

Johnson will receive the award during the NFL Alumni banquet during the week of the Super Bowl.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

FOXBORO — Andre Johnson is 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds and was a Big East champion in the 60- and 100-meter dashes at the University of Miami.

In other words, he’s big. And fast.

And he’s been a nightmare matchup for every defense that has faced him in recent years.

The 28-year-old former No. 3 pick hasn’t always gotten the attention he likely deserves because he plays for a Texans team that always seems to be on the cusp of the playoffs but hasn’t gotten there yet.

But given his numbers and the way he’s thoroughly dominated games, he’s been impossible to ignore.

“He’s pretty good at everything,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said this week. “He’s a big target, tough after the catch. He’s like Terrell Owens, where he catches short balls and breaks tackles and runs a long way. People get up there and try to play him tighter and he runs past them. He’s good on intermediate routes, he’s good on deep routes, and he’s good on short routes, and running with the ball after the catch. He certainly attracts a lot of attention, as he should.”

Last Sunday against Miami, Johnson had five receptions for 71 yards, and went over the 1,500-yard mark for the season. Coupled with the 1,575 yards he had last season, Johnson is now just the second player in league history to post back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons, after former Colts star Marvin Harrison.

It is the fourth time in his seven-year career he’s been over 1,000 yards, and he barely missed as a rookie in 2003, when he recorded 976.

In the two weeks before Houston’s game with Miami, Johnson torched the Seahawks and Rams for a combined 389 yards on 20 catches.

“He gets paid the ultimate compliment every week with what people try to do defensively (against him). He’s been something else,” Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. “He’s kind of been the rock ever since I’ve been here. I’ve known him for years and he’s as good a player as I’ve ever been around. He’s been exceptional.”

Johnson moves all over the field for Houston, lining up wide or in the slot, running go routes and crossing patterns. His ability to do that is part of the reason it’s so tough to cover him.

Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden and his teammates will have their hands full trying to contain him.

“He does it all. He does all the routes. You never know where he’s going to run, where he’s going to be,” Bodden said.

Bodden has faced Johnson twice before — once last year, when he was with the Lions, and in 2007, when Bodden was with the Browns.

The Lions used both man and zone coverages against Johnson, and — much like nearly everything else Detroit tried last year — it didn’t work too well. He had one of his best games of the season, with 11 catches for 141 yards.
Kubiak says it is Johnson’s intelligence as a football player that allows the Texans to move him all over the field and still get results.

“I’ve said this many times: he’s a smart player. I mean, we move him all over the place and you’ve got to try to make it tough on defenses by what you do with him. He deserves a great deal of credit for his football mind and the way he handles game plans. It gives us the flexibility to move him all over the place. That’s a credit to him; he’s a very sharp player.”

Because defenses tailor their coverages for Johnson, Kubiak said the Texans must do a lot of adjusting on the fly to alignments the other teams hadn’t seen on film. Not surprisingly, Johnson receives a great deal of double coverage, and quarterback Matt Schaub has clearly done a good job of finding the open man because he leads the league with 4,467 passing yards.

Going by the numbers, the Jets and cornerback Darelle Revis did the best job on Johnson this year, in the season-opener, when Revis held him to four catches for 35 yards.

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(projo.com)

The NFL 2009 Pro Bowlers were announced with 9 proCanes named on the AFC and NFC rosters.

AFC:
- Andre Johnson - WR - Houston Texans - Starter
- Reggie Wayne - WR - Indianapolis Colts - Starter
- Vince Wilfork - DL - New England Patriots
- Ray Lewis - MLB - Baltimore Ravens - Starter
- Ed Reed - S - Baltimore Ravens - Starter
- DJ Williams - OLB - Denver Broncos - Alternate

NFC:
- Bryant McKinnie - OL - Minnesota Vikings - Starter
- Jonathan Vilma - MLB - New Orleans Saints
- Antrel Rolle - S - Arizona Cardinals - Alternate
- Frank Gore - RB - San Francisco 49ers - Alternate*

*Updated 12/31/09 1am

Larry Fitzgerald is charismatic, Randy Moss is acrobatic and Brandon Marshall is enigmatic. But is Andre Johnson the best receiver, or is that too Socratic?

On Sunday, the Texans' star wideout caught a 14-yard pass against Miami that put him over the 1,500-yard mark. It meant that he and former Colts great Marvin Harrison are the only receivers in NFL history to have at least 1,500 yards in consecutive seasons. It's been 19 years since a player led the league in receiving yards in back-to-back seasons. Johnson has 1,504 yards this year, well ahead of Fitzgerald, Moss and Marshall.

The last player to lead in consecutive seasons? Jerry Rice.

"Andre's the whole package," said CBS analyst Rich Gannon, who broadcast the game between the Texans and Dolphins. "I was saying to [broadcast partner] Ian Eagle before the game that he's big and fast and catches the ball perfectly with his arms outstretched. He's arguably the best receiver in the game."

Argument? Not from the Dolphins.

"You can't find a weakness," said nickel back Nate Jones, who saw Johnson slip his tackle to score a 10-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

"We had our hands full with him," said cornerback Sean Smith, who was in single coverage when Johnson caught a 13-yard pass on the first play of the game. It was the last time Miami coach Tony Sparano left Johnson in single coverage.

"He's the best receiver in the league," said linebacker Charlie Anderson, who was a rookie with Houston in 2004, Johnson's second year in the league. "I'm 6-4, 240, and he looks as big as me."

Johnson is all size (6-3, 225 pounds) and speed (4.4 in the 40-yard dash), with a running back's thighs.

"He uses his size and strength to drive off defenders and catch the ball," said Dolphins commentator Jim Mandich. "He's a Rolex, others are Timex."

Johnson grew up in the shadow of Land Shark Stadium and was part of the great University of Miami team that went 12-0 in 2001 and had players like Jeremy Shockey, Ed Reed, Clinton Portis and Jonathan Vilma. On Sunday, Johnson had 150 of his friends and family sitting in Section 407, where nearby Miami fans spent the afternoon booing.

But they were booing the Dolphins. Johnson and the Texans scored on their first five possessions and kept their (slim, slender, slight) playoffs hopes alive with the 27-20 win.

"The playoffs have been my goal since Day 1," Johnson said. "I know it sounds like a broken record."

While Johnson has been breaking records, the Texans have never been to the playoffs and have never had a winning season. This is the first Houston team to even think of the postseason since the Oilers made a run in 1993.

"We're all here to take it to the next level," said quarterback Matt Schaub, who mostly played throw-and-catch with Johnson (five receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown on Sunday). "Andre is so disciplined, and he opens things up for the other receivers."

Johnson addressed the topic after the game.

"There were a few times that I was in the slot running a little 5-yard out and the defenders seemed more worried about me than covering the tight end," he said. "A lot of times I was running a basketball pick."

Three of his picks resulted in 65 yards for tight end Joel Dreessen. It was a day of mismatches, with Houston coach Gary Kubiak putting Johnson in motion to create confusion and open space.

"Andre probably thinks setting picks was his biggest contribution of the game," Kubiak said of the modest receiver who doesn't analyze statistics. "He's been through so much with this franchise in seven years, yet he's never wavered from his work ethic or his offseason commitment."

Houston's game this Sunday should be a fan fiesta. Johnson and the Texans will face the AFC East champion Patriots and Wes Welker (second in AFC receiving with 1,336 yards) and Moss (fifth with 1,189). Welker leads in receptions with 122, while Johnson and the Colts' Reggie Wayne are tied for third with 95.

Want more? Welker and Johnson are tied for the most 10-plus reception games (seven) in a season. Welker is averaging 11 yards per catch this year; Johnson has him beat with 15.8. Moss is also standing tall, averaging 15.2 yards a catch.

"It's an enormous challenge for us, but I think we're ready, Kubiak said.

After the game against Miami, Johnson cut the profile of a CEO. Wearing an elegant three-piece suit and speaking in a quiet baritone, he would not say if he considers himself the best in the game.

"I'm not that big on attention," he said. "To have people ask about it, though, I suppose it means I'm headed in the right direction."

OK then, what about being the best-dressed receiver?

"Can't say that either," he said with a smile.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(cbssports.com)

Andre Johnson caught a 14-yard pass in the 3rd quarter that put him past the 1,500-yard mark. He and Marvin Harrison are the only receivers in history to have at least 1,500 yards in consecutive seasons.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

Logical progression: A season in which the Dolphins have faced Reggie Wayne, Vincent Jackson, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss and Steve Smith now could come down to stopping Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson.

Who else on the Texans can deal death to the Dolphins on Sunday afternoon? Houston's fumbling backs run as if they were carrying a greased pig through mud. They rank 31st in the league in yards per carry and are tied for last in the NFL in yards per game.

Behind Johnson among wide receivers, Kevin Walter, not exactly Lance Alworth, averages four catches per game and 11.7 yards per catch. Sunday's tight end worries ended eight weeks ago with Owen Daniels' season-ending injury.

There is some irony in the Dolphins trying to prevent Johnson from burning down their house Sunday: It would be the perfect place for Johnson to call home.

Oh sure, every team would love a guy who gets double-teamed from pregame stretch on and beats it for 20 catches for 389 yards, as Johnson has the past two games.

``Without question, I think, the best receiver in the league,'' Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell said. ``The guy does everything. He does the little things. He does things he might not want to do. He makes all the hard catches. The guy's getting doubled every game, but they find ways to get him the ball.''

The Dolphins, as has been said ad nauseum, lack a dynamic playmaker at wide receiver. Still, you have to go beyond quality to see why Johnson would be the perfect Dolphin (if he weren't signed with Houston through the 2014 season). Let's start with the next-obvious element . . .

• Johnson would be home. He didn't leave South Florida until Houston drafted him third overall in 2003 out of the University of Miami. And every college football coach not dressed in UM colors breathed a little easier that day.

``Miami had just graduated Reggie Wayne,'' said Dolphins defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, Syracuse's head coach from 1991-2004. ``I told our [defensive backs], `Don't worry, the guy who replaces him can't be as good as Reggie Wayne.' On the first two possessions, he scored on a post corner and a corner post. The cornerback came out and said, `Coach, I think this guy might be better.' ''

Johnson went to Miami High, but he is from the Carol City area.

``I could actually walk from my mom's old house to the stadium,'' Johnson said. ``I grew up right there. I always had dreams of playing in Land Shark Stadium.''

Despite being from the same region as Michael Irvin (Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, old-school UM) and Chad Ochocinco, nee, Johnson (Miami Beach High, cheers for UM, old-school UM in spirit), Johnson refrains from putting much show in his boat. Which leads to . . .

• He has the perfect personality for this Dolphins regime. Under the Bill Parcells-Jeff Ireland-Tony Sparano ruling triumvirate, the Dolphins prefer consistently loud performances from consistently quiet men. In defending the Dolphins receivers, offensive coordinator Dan Henning is fond of saying how diva receivers can drain the energy from a team.

With cars and wideouts, high performance usually means high maintenance. Not so with Johnson.

When Johnson says publicly he would like the ball more, it is rare and comes off more as admission than demand. There is no record of Johnson engaging in any quality trash talk. In fact, the lack of yak and flamboyance keeps Johnson as under the radar as a wide receiver could be with his credentials.

``I think it is more of my family,'' said Johnson, explaining his personality. ``Just growing up in the house, if you were ever in my mom's house you would probably not even know if anyone was in there because there wasn't really much talking or anything going on unless we were talking amongst each other. My mom is the same way, my brother is the same way, so I think it is just a family thing. We don't really need much attention. A lot of people think that we don't talk, but I do talk. I am not just quiet like everyone thinks.''

• He will take a hit and deliver one, too. The Dolphins lords also want a physical team. Few wide receivers, maybe none with his speed, can claim to be as physical as Johnson, who is 6-3 and 223 pounds.

On a 17-yard touchdown catch against Arizona, Johnson made the grab at the Cardinals' 5-yard line. Linebacker Gerald Hayes went for a demolition-derby hit as Johnson landed. Hayes careened away to the ground. Johnson then blasted former UM teammate Antrel Rolle onto his back before carrying cornerback Bryant McFadden into the end zone.

• Johnson is loyal. He hasn't made noises about leaving, though Houston has had only one .500 season; he has never finished above third place in the AFC South; and he can't seem to catch a break with injuries.

``I have pretty much been through all the rough times with this organization, except for the first year,'' Johnson said. ``I knew it wasn't going to be easy when I got here. I never thought it would take seven seasons. It is a work in progress. That is what keeps me motivated because I want to do everything I can to help get this organization to its first playoff berth and first Super Bowl.''

So it is that the perfect Dolphin for the current era is a Texan.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(miamiherald.com)

ST. LOUIS — Big games from Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub helped the Houston Texans win by a narrow margin.

Schaub had his eighth 300-yard passing game and Andre Johnson set a season best with 196 yards receiving, but the Texans ended up leaning on field goals to hold off the lowly St. Louis Rams 16-13 on Sunday.

The Rams (1-13) lost their 12th in a row at home and for the 23rd time in 24 games overall only three days after canceling practice after a confirmed case of swine flu. St. Louis got all of its players back, but lost for the second time this season while wearing throwback jerseys honoring the 1999 Super Bowl championship team.

Schaub was 28 for 40 for 367 yards and a touchdown and Johnson hurt the Rams' secondary with four of his nine receptions going for at least 30 yards. The Texans consistently bogged down deep in St. Louis territory, though, and got the go-ahead score on a 28-yard field goal by Kris Brown, his third of the game, with 4:36 to go.

Johnson had catches of 38, 49, 30 and 44 yards. He finished with nine catches for 196 yards. In the last two victories, he’s caught 20 passes for 390 yards.

“It was ugly,” Johnson said. “Normally, when you play road games, the other team’s fans are energetic, but their fans weren’t at the beginning. I think that killed our energy. The atmosphere of the stadium was kind of dead.”

Johnson’s incredible performance resurrected an offense that was terrific until it reached the red zone. The Texans had one touchdown on four trips to the red zone – Schaub’s 3-yard pass to Kevin Walter.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(ap.com)

Normally doggedly reserved and deadly serious, Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson couldn't help but break out in laughter at the sheer absurdity of the suggestion.

"So, Andre, do you own a sombrero?"

The reference was to Cincinnati wideout Chad Ochocinco, who donned the Mexican headwear and a poncho after scoring a touchdown Dec. 7 vs. Detroit. Ochocinco's latest antic resulted in a $30,000 fine by the NFL.

Unlike Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss and several others, Johnson doesn't qualify for the league's stable of diva receivers. He goes about his business with as little fanfare as possible.

"That's just me," Johnson said. "I really don't care about all the attention and things like that. I think the biggest thing is just having the respect among your peers, the guys you play against in the NFL. Me being talked about on TV every day or being on the cover of a magazine, that really doesn't matter to me."

What does matter to Johnson, who is rolling toward his second consecutive season as the league's leading receiver, is the playoffs. At 6-7, the Texans still have a shot — a very long shot, though. They'd have to win their final three games, starting Sunday vs. the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome, and get considerable help from others along the way.

"It gets frustrating," acknowledged Johnson, a seven-year veteran from Miami. "I want to be a part of helping the Texans get to their first playoff berth and hopefully win their first Super Bowl. That's something that drives me."

Johnson, 28, has been doing his part since the Texans made him the third overall pick in the 2003 draft.

He's already topped 1,000 receiving yards for the fourth time; at 1,237, he's just off the pace of his career best, 1,575, established last year. He has 81 catches; he's reached triple figures twice previously.

A fourth Pro Bowl invitation should be arriving just before New Year's for Johnson, a big-game specialist. Consider that:

Hall of Famer Jerry Rice has more 10-catch, 100-yard games (15) than any receiver since the NFL merged with the American Football League in 1970. He did it in 303 games. Marvin Harrison has 14 such outings in 190 games. Johnson and Tim Brown are tied at 13. It took Brown 255 games.

On Sunday, Johnson will be playing in just his 100th contest.

"Andre's been fighting the good fight here in Houston ever since he was drafted," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "He's been the one constant here on this team, and he's as hard a worker as we have. Great young man, very quiet, doesn't say much, just works very hard at his trade.

"You're going to get his best, week in and week out."

Only three teams have logged more passing yards than Houston. That doesn't portend well for the injury-plagued, flu-ridden Rams, who sport the league's sixth-worst defense.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Johnson is "a rare combination of size and speed," Rams defensive coordinator Ken Flajole said. "He plays very physical, very much like Larry Fitzgerald at Arizona. ... (The Texans) have a lot of confidence in him, and they find different ways in their offense to get him the football. ...

"You have to game-plan for a guy like that. He's special."

Johnson and quarterback Matt Schaub, who came to Houston in a trade from Atlanta in May 2007, have developed into one of the NFL's most prolific combos. Schaub already has established a career high with 3,814 passing yards, and his 68.5 completion percentage trails only Indianapolis' Peyton Manning (68.6).

"When Matt first got here, he called me and told me how excited he was to be a part of the Texans. He was ready to get to work," Johnson said. "He's definitely a good leader, and he's a tough guy. ... I really like Matt."

You can be sure that the feeling is mutual.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(stltoday.com)

HOUSTON — Andre Johnson told a teammate two weeks ago that his goal was to play the five best games of his career to help end Houston's season on a high note.

He came just shy of a career high last week against Seattle and has 292 yards receiving and three touchdowns since his declaration.

Now, the NFL's leading receiver gets to face the lowly Rams (1-12) as the Texans (6-7) look for their second straight win.

"You just try to make the best of your opportunities," Johnson said. "I was given a lot of opportunities on Sunday and I was able to make a lot of plays to help the team win the game. But I'm just going to do the same thing. I have the same mentality and I'm just going to go out and give everything I've got for my teammates and the coaches."

Johnson has 1,237 yards receiving and eight touchdowns this season and with three games left, outdoing the career-high 1,575 yards he gained last season is well within reach. He said a new personal high is not his focus.

"I never set any goals for myself this season, my biggest thing was just trying to get this organization to its first playoff berth," he said. "That's all I'm worried about and that's something I'm going to continue to worry about until it happens."

Johnson is averaging a career-best 15.3 yards a catch and needs just one touchdown to set a career high.

He had 184 of his 193 yards receiving against the Seahawks by halftime. With the game in hand by the third quarter, Houston ran the ball to eat up the clock. But with Johnson needing just two receptions and 15 yards to set career highs in receptions (12) and yards receiving (207), the Texans threw two passes his way in the fourth quarter. They both fell incomplete.

"He's a very unselfish kid. I've been in this league a long time and I know a lot of players that would have been screaming for me to find a way to get them two more catches and 15 more yards," coach Gary Kubiak said. "When I told him I wanted to do that, he told me it wasn't important so that tells you what he's all about."

Johnson didn't care if he caught any more passes once the game was decided, but he was impressed that Kubiak wanted to give him a chance to set career marks.

He isn't worried about getting 11 catches again this week, but he does think starting fast again is the key to success. He caught a 64-yard touchdown pass on the first play against Seattle.

"If you could have been on the sideline, the energy level of the team was just up so high and guys feed off that," he said. "When something like that happens everybody wants to go out and do something that catches somebody's eye."

Houston is hoping to take advantage of the one-win Rams to get back to .500 and keep their slim playoff hopes alive. They know better than overlooking the Rams after a struggling Oakland team beat them 27-16 late last season.

The Texans were 7-7 entering that game and the Raiders were 3-11. The Texans have been reminded of that stinging loss this week.

"You can't look past anybody," Johnson said. "You still have to go out and do what you have to do and execute. If you don't go out there and do that you're going to end up on the losing end and that's something that we don't want to happen."

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(ap.com)

No wonder Andre Johnson doesn't want Gary Kubiak fired.

Last week, in a video for Chron.com, Johnson made an impassioned plea for Kubiak to return. He listed the reasons he believes Kubiak should be back.

These weren't the reasons, but check them out. And remember, Matt Schaub haters — somebody has to be throwing Johnson the ball.

This statistic blows me away: Since the merger in 1970, Jerry Rice leads all receivers with 15 games in which he had at least 10 catches and 100 yards. Rice played in 303 games and is acknowledged as the greatest receiver in NFL history.

In second place, one game behind Rice, is another receiver destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Marvin Harrison had 14 games with at least 10 catches and 100 yards. He played in 190 games.

Tied for third with 13 is Tim Brown, another receiver who'll be enshrined in Canton, Ohio. He played in 255 games.

Can you guess who is tied with Brown for third on the all-time list? Yep, Andre Johnson. And he's played in just 99 games.

Think about that for a second: Rice, Harrison, Brown, Johnson — common names but uncommon receivers.

Matching Jerry
Speaking of Rice (who should be a unanimous, first-ballot selection for the Hall of Fame in February), he's the only receiver since 1970 to lead the NFL in yards in back-to-back seasons.

Johnson has an opportunity to match him. He led the league with 115 catches for 1,575 yards last season. Johnson has 81 receptions for a league-best 1,237 yards this season.

Here's another reason Johnson likes things just the way they are: In 54 games under Kubiak, Johnson averages a league-best 89.1 yards a game. The closest to him during that three-year period is Larry Fitzgerald (84.9).

This is Johnson's seventh season. He's coming off the 30th 100-yard game of his exceptional career. He's had 21 of those games under Kubiak, and the Texans are 14-7 in those games.

NFC beast
Johnson tortures just about every team he goes against, including the NFC. In 25 games against the NFC, he averages 91.8 yards. Next is Chad Ochocinco with 83.3.

Johnson burned Seattle with 11 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns. The Texans finish their NFC schedule with Sunday's game at St. Louis. There's no telling what Johnson will accomplish against the Rams.

Too bad the Texans don't play in the NFC, huh? If they beat the 1-12 Rams, they'll be 3-1 against the NFC for the third consecutive season. Maybe the team can apply to leave the AFC South for an NFC division other than the East.

I never get tired of writing statistics that demonstrate Johnson's greatness. And if we ever take that greatness for granted, all we have to do is to check out how he compares to the greatest receivers of all time.

Brothers in arms
One reason Johnson has excelled is because he and Schaub have developed such a good rapport on and off the field. And they've started every game together for the first time.

Schaub ranks in the top six in attempts (third), completions (second), percentage (second), yards (fourth), touchdowns (fifth) and rating (sixth). He has seven 300-yard games. Only Peyton Manning has more (eight).

Johnson and Schaub are one of the best combinations in the league, and they've done it with a running game that's been almost non-existent.
The Texans rank eighth in offense, including fourth in passing. Imagine how good the offense will be next season, when Schaub and Johnson have a healthy Owen Daniels, a big-time rookie running back and a new starter or two on the line.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

HOUSTON - Any child would welcome the opportunity to enter a toy store and grab as much fun stuff as they could in 80 seconds.

Fifteen elementary school students were given that opportunity, courtesy of Houston Texans Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Johnson.

The students from Bastain Elementary school were allowed five minutes to walk through the Toys-R-Us store on Old Spanish Trail to see what toys and games on which aisles interested them the most.

Each student was also given a video game console.

Johnson told FOX 26 News that what impresses him most about the children's shopping sprees are that the students are considerate enough to find items for their siblings and parents.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(myfoxhouston.com)

Andre Johnson/Matt Schaub: Johnson caught a 64-yard touchdown pass from Schaub on the first play from scrimmage against Seattle. The Texans' duo did a lot more after that. Johnson had a season-high 193 yards receiving and two touchdowns, and Schaub passed for 365 yards (336 before halftime) and two touchdowns to lead Houston to a 34-7 win over the Seahawks.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

Asked why the Texans fell apart Sunday after coming out so strong, receiver Andre Johnson said: “In the first half everybody was making plays. Then the second half was a totally different story. I think it was about our execution. (The Colts) really didn't change anything.”

But nobody could get Johnson to wallow in his disappointment.

“I don't think it's difficult to stay positive,” he said. “When you play a football game, win or lose, you have to forget about it and move on because you have another opponent next week. We have to come in, correct our mistakes and move on.”



(chron.com)

Even Chad Ochocinco has tried to help.

Before the Texans and the Bengals played on Oct. 18, Ochocinco invited Andre Johnson to his home in Cincinnati where he tried, unsuccessfully, to get Houston's freakishly talented wideout to join him on Twitter and Ustream for some much-deserved pub. Instead, Johnson used all of his athletic abilities to duck, shift and spin away from Chad's ubiquitous camera lens and keyboard. It figures: Johnson has led the NFL in receiving yards per game since 2006 while simultaneously shunning the receiva diva style that permeates the league's loudest, neediest group of players.

"I just don't get caught up in who gets the most attention," Johnson told me. "It's not that I don't care or don't have an opinion, I'm just not the kind of person who really worries about that kind of thing." Thank god, say his teammates.

"The crime of it all is, in our sports culture we expect our stars to be loud, outspoken and outrageous," says Texans guard Eric Winston. "Andre has shown the league that, hey, you can be the best wide receiver in football and -- guess what? -- you don't have to act like an a--hole."

In truth, the only label Andre Johnson hates is "quiet." Why? Probably because he's not. He simply doesn't warm up to everyone immediately, and because that makes our job in the media a little harder, a little more complicated, we tend to dismiss players like Johnson as "quiet." But a few weeks ago, while working on the current cover story of ESPN The Magazine, I found him to be thoughtful and funny and an unquestioned leader in Houston.

And, after what should be his coming-out party against the Tennessee Titans on "Monday Night Football," I think the world will finally begin to appreciate Andre Johnson as, well, the next closest thing we have to Jerry Rice: a player so talented and driven that he ends up changing the NFL without ever having to change himself. "I. Am. Not. Quiet." Johnson says, emphatically. "Mess with me, talk junk to me, challenge me. I won't run my mouth back at you. But on the next play I'm gonna do everything I can to embarrass you in front of the whole world."

In the end, those who learn about the unspeakable amount of tragedy Johnson has endured on his way to the top of the NFL are usually the ones who end up speechless.

He grew up in Carol City, Fla., in the rough Miami neighborhood known as The Bajas. Raised by Karen Johnson, a single mom working as a letter carrier, Andre met his father, Leroy Richardson, only once, for a few hours when he was 8. (In August 2002, Richardson was shot to death in Mississippi.) Karen, who had Andre after her sophomore year at Tennessee State, where she ran track, asked her older brothers Andre Melton and Keith Francis to watch over her son.

Since then Melton has become Johnson's closest adviser, spending several weeks each year in Houston and traveling to every game. (He's the one who raised quite a stink last week when he told me if the Texans don't start winning -- and pronto, like, ya know, Monday night -- he has an exit strategy in mind for his nephew.)

According to Karen, Melton and Andre Johnson, Francis was a local high school football phenom at Miami Senior High School in the 1970s who was recruited by Barry Switzer and Bobby Bowden. He never played in college, though; instead, the family says he served time for drugs while Melton was a teenager. Andre was only 4 years old when Francis started throwing him a football in the yard at their grandmother's house north of the city where the Miami Dolphins' stadium loomed in the distance. And it was Francis who first recognized the freakish athletic potential in Andre while serving as a powerful warning against the lure of the streets. (Francis was killed in August 2004.) "Because of him, they were on me about everything," says Johnson. "Every conversation I ever had with him ended the same way: Don't make the same mistakes I made."

Johnson followed in his uncle's athletic footsteps, becoming a Parade All-American at Miami Senior before moving on to the University of Miami. As a sophomore, Johnson led the Canes to the 2001 national title with 199 yards and two touchdowns against Nebraska in the Rose Bowl. He followed that up with the 2002 Big East track title in the indoor 60 meters and outdoor 100 meters. On a college team considered the most talent-rich in history (over three drafts, 23 players were taken from Miami's 2001 team, including 11 in the first round) teammates singled out Johnson and began referring to him as "Superman."

Occasionally, teammates mistook his stillness for aloofness or anger, not knowing that in the span of two years, from 2002-04, Johnson's father, his uncle and his best friend, Cyril Jones, had all been shot to death. Texans scouts saw a thoughtful, mature kid who was able to command respect without saying a word. At a chiseled 6-foot-3, 228 pounds with a 4.35 40, Johnson could run over linebackers, run past defensive backs and, literally, beat most coverages with his eyes closed. (Johnson's pre-draft physical revealed the need for corrective Lasik eye surgery.)

Too nervous to sleep the night before the draft, Johnson drove around half of south Florida in a limo with his godson. When his name was called on draft day, Johnson wept openly on his mother's soft shoulder for several minutes. When people call him quiet and grounded and mean it as a compliment, this is what they're thinking of: mother and son, ignoring the phones, well-wishers and cameras and, instead, holding each other tightly to commemorate what is essentially a miracle in a place like Miami.

"That's where a lot of my attitude and approach comes from," says Johnson. "I still feel like I'm living my childhood dream every day, only I know it could all be over at any moment."

It was always a childhood dream of Johnson to own courtside NBA seats. He's got them now, and recently when he tried to sneak out of a Houston Rockets game a few minutes early, fans in Olajuwon jerseys chucked their ThunderStix and chased him out to the concourse. There, a crowd began to form featuring one mother who, without hesitating, handed her toddler over to Johnson for a photo op.

It seemed a little nuts, at the time, just how quickly and completely the woman trusted Johnson with her baby. But the folks in Houston have known for a while now what the rest of the world will probably figure out on Monday night:

In Andre Johnson's hands, that kid was in the safest place in the world.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.

Andre Johnson caught four passes for 78 yards and a touchdown in the Texans' Week 11 loss.

Johnson was targeted 11 times, but Matt Schaub had Titans' defenders in his face for much of the night and often had to throw off his back foot. The 78-yard, one TD output is weak compared to Johnson's previous games against Tennessee. Look for him to get back on track against the Colts next week.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rotoworld.com)

Andre Johnson denied an ESPN The Magazine report that he plans to force a trade if the Texans don't make the playoffs.

Johnson's uncle and agent, Andre Melton, made the claims. "That didn't come from me. ... I make my own decisions, and I plan on being here until I retire," Johnson said. Johnson signed an eight-year, $60 million contract in March of 2007 and it's very unlikely he's going anywhere before that deal is up. The Texans are at 5-4 right now but still have a solid shot at making the postseason for the first time in franchise history.



(rotoworld.com)

WR Reggie Wayne, Colts — Great hands and route-running skills, coupled with intimate knowledge of the offense, have led to Wayne’s incredible consistency over the years. He’s doing it again, having caught 59 passes for 753 yards and six touchdowns. He has broken the 125-yard barrier in three games and scored in all but two contests.

WR Andre Johnson, Texans — Many talent evaluators will tell you Johnson is the AFC’s most gifted receiver. With great size and strength, plus the speed to get deep, Johnson is a game-changer who presents a constant challenge for defenses. He also possesses a work ethic that makes him want to get better each and every week, a rare trait in a league filled with more than a few divas at the position.

S Brandon Meriweather, Patriots — The Patriots lost a ton of veteran leadership with the departures of Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour. But the defense has performed admirably, and Harrison has gone on record as saying that Meriweather is the team’s defensive MVP. Meriweather is starting to show the instincts that made fellow Miami (Fla.) safeties like Ed Reed and Sean Taylor stars. Meriweather’s breakout game came in London against the Buccaneers, when he snared two interceptions, returning one 39 yards for a touchdown.

Click here to order Reggie Wayne’s, Andre Johnson’s or Brandon Meriweather’s proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballweekly.com)

Andre Johnson left Sunday's game in the third quarter but returned only a few plays later.

Johnson took a hard hit in his back after making a catch and falling toward the goalline. He was eventually able to walk off the field under his own power and may have simply had the wind knocked out of him.



(rotoworld.com)

Receiver Andre Johnson participated fully in the Texans practice Thursday, showing no ill-effects from the lung bruise he suffered against the 49ers and leaving little about his being ready to play against the Buffalo Bills Sunday.

“He took pretty close to all the reps he normally takes and he didn’t have any problems,” Kubiak said of Johnson. “It’s not Sunday yet, but I was very encouraged.”

Johnson had previously insisted nothing was going to keep him out of the game.



(chron.com)

Receiver Andre Johnson did not practice today because of a bruised lung. Andre Davis took his place in the lineup across from Kevin Walter.

Johnson was injured in Sunday's 24-21 victory over San Francisco. He expects to play at Buffalo.

"Andre ran on the side some today," coach Gary Kubiak said. "I'm encouraged by what I saw today. If he doesn't have any setbacks, I feel good about him being able to play."

Linebacker Brian Cushing (foot) and free safety Eugene Wilson (groin) also missed practice. Cornerback Dunta Robinson (hamstring) was limited. All are expected to play against the Bills.

Defensive end Mario Williams participated in every drill.

"We're trying to be smart with them," Kubiak said. "We've got a bunch of guys that can use a break, and they'll get one in two weeks."

The Texans have their open date after they play Nov. 8 at Indianapolis.



(chron.com)

Texans coach Gary Kubiak revealed at his Monday press conference that Andre Johnson has a lung contusion.

"Hopefully, he'll be ready to go against Buffalo," Kubiak added, indicating some concern about A.J.'s status. Kubiak also said Johnson is "day to day," though he says that about all injured players. Johnson will likely miss some practice this week, and may come down to a game-time decision on Sunday.



(rotoworld.com)

Texans receiver Andre Johnson left Sunday’s 24-21 victory over San Francisco with a chest injury but should be ready to play in the next game at Buffalo.

Johnson, who was injured in the fourth quarter, was taken to the hospital for X-rays before returning to Reliant Stadium to shower and dress after the Texans’ second consecutive victory.

“They’re telling me it’s a chest contusion,” coach Gary Kubiak said.

Kubiak will have an update on Johnson at his regular Monday afternoon news conference.

Johnson was injured when he caught a 44-yard pass on what proved to be the winning field goal drive. He fell on the ball, coughed up some blood and went to the sideline.

Johnson returned briefly, but when he tried to return a second time, some members of the team’s medical staff hid his helmet to keep him on the sideline rather than risk further injury.

Johnson’s catch down the middle gave the Texans the ball at San Francisco’s 41-yard line. Kris Brown finished the drive with a 50-yard field goal.



(chron.com)

For all the talk about the 49ers new guy, the most significant receiver on the field Sunday will be in a Houston Texans uniform.

Andre Johnson ranks second in the NFL with 572 receiving yards. He's built like a bear (6-foot-3, 225-pounds) but moves like a hummingbird.

"He can fly," cornerback Nate Clements said.

Clements will be the primary coverage man against Johnson on Sunday. He'll be trying to bounce back from the Atlanta loss in which another speedy receiver, Roddy White, racked up a Falcons franchise record 210 receiving yards.

Clements and the secondary did a much better job against Larry Fitzgerald in the opener, when the Cardinals star totaled 71 yards.

Fitzgerald, like Johnson, is a load (6-3, 217). Can the 49ers use the same game plan Sunday?

"No," Clements said. "If you look at it just based on size and weight, their similar. But they're completely different.

"They both have strength. Larry Fitz has those excellent hands and he likes to jump up. Andre Johnson can flat-out run. He has good hands, as well, but he's on vertical routes."

Since 2006, Johnson averages 101.8 yards per home game. That's by far the highest mark in the NFL during that span. (Fitzgerald is second at 85.5).

Johnson registered his 500th career catch in Week 2, making him the second-fastest receiver ever to reach that milestone. Johnson did in his 88th game; Anquan Boldin needed only 80 games.

(mercurynews.com)

The Bengals' streak of shutting down opposing No. 1 wide receivers ended emphatically in a 28-17 loss to the Texans. Matt Schaub hit Andre Johnson for 59 yards on Houston's first pass attempt, and it was off to the races from there.

Schaub finished 28-of-40 for 392 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Meanwhile, Johnson had eight receptions for 135 yards against a team that had previously held Brandon Marshall, Greg Jennings, Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Derrick Mason in check.

Houston used some screen passes to spread out the Bengals' defense and found creases for long gains. Besides Johnson's big play, Texans running back Steve Slaton also benefitted from this approach and finished with six receptions for 102 yards and a score. Slaton racked up 145 total yards but did lose his third fumble of the season.



(sportingnews.com)

Check out our new Andre Johnson Wallpaper featuring. Click here to download our Andre Johnson Wallpaper and many other ones or click above on proCanes Wallpapers. Enjoy and stay tuned to more wallpapers in the near future.

Andre Johnson caught eight passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns in the Texans' Week 5 loss to Arizona.

If you throw out his matchups with Nnamdi Asomugha and Darrelle Revis, A.J. is averaging eight catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns per game. Johnson has a fairly difficult matchup with Bengals RCB Leon Hall next week, but it isn't like the All Pro can ever be benched in fantasy leagues.



(rotoworld.com)

Texans receivers Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones have been fined for their roles in the fight on the sideline during Sunday's 34-31 victory at Tennessee.

Johnson, who was going at it with cornerback Cortland Finnegan on the Texans' sideline, was fined $7,500 by the NFL.



(chron.com)

MIAMI, Fla - Three of the state of Florida's most talented football alumni are playing for a little more than a shot at the Super Bowl this season, they're playing for a variety of youth programs around Florida, as well as their hometowns and current NFL cities around the country through the ‘Yards for Youth' campaign.

Anquan Boldin (FSU), Percy Harvin (UF) and Andre Johnson (UM) have established themselves as some of football's most elite playmakers. As leaders, they're coming together to create awareness and donations for youth programs through the Make a Play Foundation, a charity that partners with legendary Gator, Hurricane and Seminole players to provide academic and recreational grants for Florida youth programs.

Through the campaign, fans can pledge any amount (10 cents, $1, $100) per touchdown, reception or yard for the 2009 season, combining the fantasy football obsession with an old-fashioned jog-a-thon. Not only does each touchdown catch provide for their team this season, it will provide for youth programs and their adopted charities with the support of fans and corporate sponsors. Fans can also make a one-time donation or an automatic monthly contribution. 100 percent of fan donations will directly benefit youth and family programs, turning stats into resources and opportunities.

As top fantasy football picks, fans can also purchase shirts to for a $25 donation, with profits supporting the initiative.

All three players have been a part of championship teams: Johnson winning MVP honors in 2001 as part of the Hurricanes national championship team, Boldin was a freshman on the 1999 Seminoles title team and Harvin putting together a highlight reel during the Gator BCS championship runs in 2006 and 2008.

Florida State's Boldin will be participating to raise donations to build a new Boys & Girls Club near his hometown of Pahokee. Florida's Harvin will be playing for youth programs of Gainesville and Minnesota. Miami's Johnson will be playing for youth programs of Miami and Houston. A portion of the proceeds will also benefit the Make a Play Foundation's academic and recreational youth programs in Florida.

Johnson and Boldin have well-established charities, two players that are just as valuable to their hometown communities as they are to their teammates on Sundays. Boldin's high school has recently named their new stadium in his honor for his contributions to the school and community. He was also presented the "Distinguished Service" award on behalf of the Pahokee Chamber of Commerce and awarded a key to the city from mayor
Wayne Whitaker. Johnson was recently recognized as a finalist for The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP award, having worked with numerous organizations in Miami and the Houston area during his professional
career. Harvin, the rookie, plans to establish his own charity within the year, and has volunteered his time with Gainesville's Shands Hospital, Children's Miracle Network and Ronald McDonald House.

Fans can make a pledge to their favorite player online or make a one-time donation at www.makeaplayfoundation.org or call (352) 514-2681 for a pledge form. All pledges are tax-deductible, will be accepted throughout the season and will include all post-season stats.

Opening the 2009 season, the Make a Play Foundation partnered with Warrick Dunn (FSU), Kevin Everett (UM), Willis McGahee (UM), Ed Reed (UM), Myron Rolle (FSU) and Samari Rolle (FSU) to raise donations for a
variety of charities during the week of the UM-FSU game. Last November, the foundation collected nearly 10 tons of food during the week of the UF-FSU game for Gainesville and Tallahassee food banks. The foundation has a variety of awareness events and fundraisers scheduled for the 2009 season. For more information, please visit the official Web site at www.makeaplayfoundation.org.

Andre Johnson caught 10 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns in the Texans' 34-31 victory against Tennessee.

Johnson worked over Titans' aging corner Nick Harper several times and beat Cortland Finnegan on occasion after being shutdown last week by Darrelle Revis. He was consistently open after Titans' safeties constantly bit on play action. Johnson had a couple big drops in the first half but turned up his play in the second. With Kevin Walter out, Matt Schaub threw towards Johnson 15-20 times today.



(rotoworld.com)

Even through the worst of times, Andre Johnson never let go of a dream.

It's a dream that's pretty much the same every time.

There's a packed house at Reliant Stadium and a loud, rowdy crowd and a football game that's really more than a football game.

It's one of those magical times when a professional sports team captivates an entire city, when the Texans are playing a big, important game, a game that reminds us why we love this silly stuff so much.

“I envision it all the time,” Johnson said. “I envision us winning a Super Bowl. I think it's not going to happen if you don't vision it. I think about it. I think about how the city would be. I think this city has been waiting on a winner for a long time. Even when I go to a Rockets game, all the fans are, ‘If you guys can just get to the playoffs.'

“I listen to the fans. You can tell the die-hard Texans fans. You can hear it in their voice when they talk about us. It's definitely something I think about a lot.”

There's a follow-up question that's tougher to ask, a question about all the losses he has been part of, about all the franchise's mistakes, about all the stuff that has made the Texans mostly irrelevant in their first seven years.

Did Johnson ever wonder if he'd be one of those guys who had a great career playing for a franchise that never won a thing?

“You know what, I've thought about it before,” he said. “It's not something I think about all the time. But I have thought about it. It happens. I talked to Zach Wiegert. He played in the league 11 years and never made it to the playoffs. I just can't see that happening to me.”

Among best of the best
Now the Texans are beginning a season when optimism is high, when they're a popular pick to win the AFC South or at least make their first playoff appearance.

So as they prepare to open their eighth season against the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon at Reliant Stadium, we gather around the locker of the best player the franchise has had and look for some context.

From production on the field to citizenship off it, from work ethic to leadership to everything a professional athlete can be expected to deliver, Andre Johnson has established himself as the guy every future Texan will be measured against.

For years, we were so focused on all the things the Texans didn't have that we didn't appreciate Johnson's greatness. Thanks to Gary Kubiak and Matt Schaub, the Texans now have an offense worthy of Johnson.

He's 29 years old and about to begin his seventh NFL season. He's easily one of the NFL's top two or three receivers, the best of the best, coming off a season in which he led the league in catches (115) and yards (1,575).
He's one of the cornerstones of an offense that could be as good as any in the NFL, an offense that's expected to lead.

‘Sky's the limit for us'
But is he as optimistic as we are?

“To be honest, I always feel like we have a chance to get into the playoffs,” Johnson said. “Do I feel more confident? Do I feel we really have the talent to get there now? Of course. I don't think we have any excuses. It's up to us to go out and do it.

“I think the sky's the limit for us. It's just up to us to go out and perform the way we know how to perform. If we go out and do that, we'll be fine. I don't look at anything negative. I don't feel negative about anything coming into this game. I'm excited about it, and it starts on Sunday.”

It might be impossible to overestimate the esteem in which he's held by his teammates and coaches. Yet he's a different kind of leader. He leads more by example than with words.

But because Johnson doesn't say much, his words have a weight. There was a moment late last season when he stood up after a game and told his teammates how proud he was to be associated with them.

“There were times I stood up in front of the team and said things,” he said. “If I feel something needs to be said, or if there's something on my heart, I'm going to tell them. I'm not a big rah-rah guy.”

A work ethic to admire
When his teammates talk about Johnson, they constantly return to a couple of things — his demeanor and his work ethic.

“He doesn't say much,” Kubiak said, “but when he talks people listen.”

What makes him special?

“His work ethic,” Kubiak said.

Is that right, Chester Pitts?

“His commitment to excellence is unmatched by anyone I've ever known,” Pitts said.

Johnson's body of work speaks for itself as he nears 500 receptions and 7,000 career yards. He has played in three Pro Bowls and has 25 career 100-yard games.

He was one of the NFL's best-kept secrets for a long time, but now he's widely seen as a special player. About all he doesn't have is a playoff appearance, or even one of those really important late-season games. He only has his dreams.

“It's something I want to happen here,” Johnson said. “I want this organization to win a Super Bowl, and I want to be part of that. It'll be real special for me, for the whole city.”



(chron.com)

HOUSTON — Darnell Jenkins — friend, protégé and Houston Texans teammate of Andre Johnson — remembered seeing Johnson play quarterback in high school.

Jenkins said Johnson could really throw the ball. Johnson, modest as ever, disagreed.

"I didn't throw the ball that well," said Johnson, who will officially begin his seventh season with the Texans when Houston opens Sunday at home against the New York Jets. "I would drop back and take off running. I never felt comfortable at quarterback. I always wanted to be a receiver."

Johnson played the game well from the beginning and kept getting better and better. Last year, he led the NFL with 115 receptions and 1,575 receiving yards, finishing more than 100 yards ahead of second-place Larry Fitzgerald.

What separates Johnson from many of the game's best known receivers is the way he approaches the game, like a secret agent. There is no flash with his dash, no dances with his touchdowns, no theatrics that earn penalties from officials or air time on ESPN. He never pulled a Sharpie or a cell phone out of his sock.

"That's just his personality," said kicker Kris Brown, one of the original Texans. "That's one of the things we love about him, and respect about him. He's not going to do something that isn't who he is.

"In this business, players feel like they have to do some of those things to get noticed. Obviously, with Andre, his play is enough to get people's attention pretty quick."

The unusual aspect about Johnson is that he actually enjoys the antics of others, the first thing he watches for when he returns home from a Sunday game at Reliant Stadium. "It's good for football," he said. "It's entertainment."

Former NFL receiver turned analyst Keyshawn Johnson wrote a book titled "Give Me the Damn Ball." That's not Andre Johnson's style. But he does get the message to the top when needed.

"I can tell when he walks by me on the sidelines," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "That's his way of saying of 'give me the ball.' He's a competitor. He deserves the ball by the way he works."

Ask almost any Texan about Johnson and the conversation will inevitably turn to one topic: work ethic. Nobody does it better.

"He just shows up every day, does things the right way," said tight end Joel Dressen. "He's consistent and obviously he's such a gifted athlete. He's phenomenal in everything he does, catching the ball, running with the ball, making guys miss."

When you think of Andre Johnson, think Jerry Rice. Not Terrell Owens.

Where did his work ethic come from?

Johnson can't give credit to any one coach or specific person. He said the older guys on his high school team worked hard, worked out in the offseason. He ran into similar types at the University of Miami.

The Hurricanes earned a reputation for their brashness as much as their national championships. In truth, most of the players were good people.

Texans offensive tackle Eric Winston, who grew up in Midland, overlapped with Johnson for one year at Miami.

"They're some of the best guys in the world, and they come from a meek existence," said Winston, including Johnson in his analysis.

Johnson was the meekest of all, despite catching seven passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns to help the 'Canes blow out Nebraska in the national championship game during his final season at Miami.

"He never said a word," Winston said of Johnson's demeanor in college.

He is more talkative now, a patient and willing interview but soft-spoken by pro athletes' standards. His teammates insist more of his personality surfaces when he's with the other Texans.

The better he knows people, the more comfortable he becomes, explained Johnson. He doesn't mind the media, he just doesn't know them well enough to reveal all his personality.

Jenkins looked up to Johnson for years, Andre helping to prepare him for college, telling him what to expect on the field and in the classroom.

When Jenkins worked at a playground in the summer in Miami, Johnson used to pick him up to go work out. Just knowing Johnson gave Jenkins instant credibility with the kids.

"He was a big help to me," Jenkins said. "That's when the kids started listening to me."

He has continued to help his teammates, the receivers in particular, as his stature grew in pro football.

"Kubiak likes to use him as a demonstration for a typical pro athlete that will be around for as long as he wants," said teammate David Anderson, another wide receiver. "He's not only got the athleticism, he's got the smarts and the work ethic.

"Normally guys like that, who are consistent Pro Bowlers, want to cause problems. He just puts his head down and goes to work every day, which makes him even more exceptional in my opinion."

Anderson, beginning his fourth season with Houston, said he has seen Johnson improve every year.

"That's a lot to say about a guy who had already made the Pro Bowl," Anderson said. "His hands have gotten better, his routes, his patience."

Of course, Anderson and the other receivers appreciate the fact that the attention that Johnson draws opens holes in the secondary for them to catch passes.

Johnson will be the first to praise other receivers.

"When we catch a pass, it makes him excited," Anderson said. "We get the ball because he takes so much attention."

The Pro Bowls were nice, but not where Johnson wants to go. He has yet to make the playoffs, after knowing nothing but success before Houston.

When the Texans took him with the third pick in the 2003 draft, Johnson understood joining a year-old franchise would not be a freeway to the Super Bowl. But at times, Houston went in the wrong direction, bottoming out with a 2-14 record in 2005.

"Everywhere I played, even in Little League, we were always in the playoffs, winning 9-10 games a year," he said. "It was different (losing). It was hard."

The defeats never soured his enthusiasm. After back-to-back 8-8 records, the Texans open the 2009 season with renewed hope.

Johnson was built to be a pro receiver, combining size (6-3, 228) and speed with great hands. "That's what God built him for," said guard Chester Pitts. "He is the mold."

Johnson brings even more to the field that makes him one of the best in the game.

"His best attribute is his explosiveness," said Kyle Shanahan, the Texans' offensive coordinator. "I think DBs are shocked how much ground he can eat up. If they're off 10 yards, he can eat up that cushion way before they're expecting it. Either they're surprised and he runs by them, or they get out of there and we can throw underneath all day."

His best skill may be the fact he doesn't have to be open to catch the ball. Shanahan compared Johnson with a basketball player who gets good position with his body and can go up and get the ball, covered or not.
What else could a receiver need, other than blocking?

Johnson does that, too.

"He's very good," Shanahan said of Johnson's blocking. "A lot of receivers don't do it, especially the ones who feel they've earned it. With our offense, if we had a guy like that, it would really hurt us. We expect our receivers to block in the running game."

There really is only one bottom line for No. 80: Winning.

"That's the only reason I play," he said.



(statesman.com)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey took refuge from the heat under a canopy on the sideline, sipping from a small bottle of Gatorade, and he never saw Andre Johnson coming.

In passing, Johnson tipped Shockey's drink, causing some to trickle down Shockey's chin. Laughing, Shockey playfully chased Johnson for a few yards, but Johnson, a speedy receiver, avoided the bulky tight end.
“I'll get you back later, ‘Dre,” Shockey jokingly shouted at Johnson.

That friendly incident happened early Thursday and had nothing to do with the morning practice that became Wrestlemania.

“Did you see all these Miami guys out here getting in the fights?” Saints receivers coach Curtis Johnson said with a grin. “That's how we do it, I guess.”

Johnson was receivers coach at Miami from 1996-05 and coached Johnson and Shockey when the Hurricanes were the 2001 national champions.

Center Chris Myers and tackles Eric Winston and Rashad Butler were also on the team.

One of the best
The Saints also have former Hurricanes in linebacker Jonathan Vilma and tight end Buck Ortega, bringing the number to seven former Miami players on the Texans and Saints rosters from a team that is considered one of the best in college football history

“We already have a few guys on our team that played together at Miami,” Winston said. “But with the Saints here, there's even more guys that were on that team.

“It's always awesome to go up to those guys and reminisce about the good old days.”

Keeping Winston in line
Winston said that having several college teammates around him with the Texans keeps him grounded in his NFL career. He said Butler and Johnson were the same shy and soft-spoken players at Miami that they are with the Texans.

But when asked about reuniting with other Miami teammates, Johnson had plenty to say.

“Every time we get together, it seems like we talk more about what we did in college rather than what we're doing now on the football field,” Johnson said. “Those are the moments that you really cherish.

“We won a national championship together, and that's something you'll never ever forget, and it's a bond you'll always have. We really don't talk much about football at all.”

According to Shockey, Johnson doesn't talk much at all.

“Andre's a silent assassin, and there's not many juicy college stories about him,” Shockey said. “But he's obviously the same hard-working guy that likes to get better.”

Curtis Johnson, the receivers coach, agreed with Shockey about Johnson's work ethic and added that Andre's personality has gone largely unchanged.

“Shockey is a different story though,” Curtis Johnson said. “He never said two words at Miami and now look at him.
“But he's still a great player and an excellent playmaker, just like he was at Miami.”

Johnson said coaches were impressed with Andre at Miami Senior High School, but he was redshirted as a college freshman because he was behind two seniors in Reggie Wayne and Santana Moss.

Ortega, who was Johnson's high school teammate, was also redshirted as a freshman.

“You never think about playing with your teammates after Miami because everyone's just dreaming about playing in the NFL,” Ortega said. “We were just a bunch of kids that were given a great opportunity to make something of ourselves at Miami.”

Not everything is fair game
As far as funny tales and embarrassing moments from college, most players were unwilling to out their former teammates, even though they play on opposing teams that can't seem to get along.

“I have plenty of stories about Eric and several about Chris,” Shockey said. “But I'll have to keep those in house.”



(chron.com)

HOUSTON – When you’re climbing a mountain, there’s no time for wasted breath. Expending even the smallest amount of precious air on idle talk is going to just slow down the process.

Perhaps that’s why Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson(notes) parcels out words the way bankers loan money these days. For Johnson and the Texans, it’s about making the climb – not telling people all about it along the way.

In the look-at-me era of NFL receivers – where Terrell Owens(notes) has a reality show and Chad Ochocinco(notes) rambles endlessly on “Hard Knocks” – Johnson is unconcerned about his lack of notoriety. Though Johnson led the NFL in catches (115) and receiving yards (1,575) last season and is considered by many coaches and executives to be among the top handful of receivers in the game, getting him to talk about this is like trying to run through a cinder-block wall.

“All the stories I have about ‘Dre aren’t really about him,” said David Anderson(notes), another Texans wideout and resident entertainer, given his impressions of boxer Ricky Hatton or quarterback-turned-analyst Ron Jaworski.

“They’re about the things we do to him to make him talk. You really have to grind on him to get something out of him. He’s fun and he’ll joke around, but it takes a lot to bring him out.”

Or as Texans wide receiver Darnell Jenkins(notes) said: “If ‘Dre don’t know you, he’s not going to say anything to you. He’s not being mean about it; he just won’t talk. That’s just him.”

Always has been. Back in Carol City, Fla., where Johnson grew up with his brother and mother, “there wasn’t much talking going on,” said Johnson, a first-team All-Pro last season. “If I don’t know you, I’m not really going to talk to you. It has nothing to do with trust. I may say a few words to you, but not like I’m going to just start talking to people out of nowhere.”

So it should be no surprise that Johnson agreed in his first contract not to do any national endorsements or ads for at least one year.

“I actually just did my first national commercial this offseason, and this is my seventh season,” said Johnson, agreeing to the request without a second thought, assuring the organization that his focus was on football. “That stuff doesn’t make me. What I need to do is whatever it takes to get this team to its first playoff appearance. That’s all that matters.”

Johnson isn’t dismissive or rude, and it’s not that he can’t be bothered talking. Over the course of two days this week, he did eight interviews with various media outlets and he’s extremely accessible to reporters who cover the team regularly – win or lose.

Ultimately, while he may not have much to say, Johnson wants to make people feel at ease. It’s part of his approach to making Houston great. As the Texans embark on their eighth season since joining the NFL as an expansion team, Johnson understands his role as a foundational piece.

He was Houston’s second first-round pick, coming in as the third overall selection of the 2003 NFL draft. Considering that 2002 No. 1 pick David Carr(notes) is already gone, Johnson is basically a founding father. Just as he helped the University of Miami return to greatness in the late 1990s after the school was on probation, he senses the same mission in Houston.

“I feel the same way, like I’m going through a process,” said Johnson, who rarely looks anyone straight in the eye as he initially starts to speak, portraying an almost shy quality. “At Miami, my redshirt year there, I think we lost four games and went to the Gator Bowl. Then, my first year playing, we went 11-1 and it felt like you were part of something special, bringing the program back. The next year, we won a national championship and then we played for another one the next year.

“Here, it’s kind of like the same thing. You come to a new organization, it’s a process. It’s not going to happen overnight. I definitely feel like we’re climbing the mountain.”

Johnson seems to plot a course with that in mind. While teammates and coaches unanimously call him that rare combination of best player and hardest worker on the team, Johnson doesn’t preen in his workouts. At 6-foot-2, 228 pounds, he is built more like a linebacker, but he doesn’t show it off.

“We were lifting one time and ‘Dre has about 30 pounds of muscle on me,” said Anderson, who is all of 5-10, 194 pounds and often goes unrecognized as a football player. “His body is ridiculous. But we’re doing the incline press and we’re both doing the same weight, like about 185 pounds. I’m kind of looking at him like I can’t believe I’m lifting the same amount as him.

“He starts joking about how his muscles are just ‘air’ muscles, just pumped up with a lot of air … so I laugh and go on to the next thing. I turn around and he’s thrown another 90 pounds on the press after I left. It was like he didn’t want to embarrass me.”

That’s exactly the case.

“I’m never going to make my teammates feel bad,” Johnson said. “I wouldn’t do anything like that. Sometimes guys feel like you’re on a different level than they’re on, but I don’t look at it like that. I make it so they feel comfortable working out with me. I want them to feel the same way I feel.

I’m never going to say, ‘Oh, you’re lifting that light weight?’ or anything like that.”

At the same time, there is no question that Johnson is the player the Texans have built their passing game around. Last year, as the team struggled to an 0-4 start after the devastation of Hurricane Ike, Johnson came up with a season-turning play.

Facing a fourth-and-10 late in the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins, quarterback Matt Schaub(notes) rolled right and threw back to his left to Johnson, who had been running a crossing pattern from left to right before cutting back to the left sideline. The juggling catch allowed the Texans to keep the game-winning drive alive.

“That’s the play of the year for us,” said wide receiver Kevin Walter(notes). “We don’t get that, who knows where our season goes.”

Said head coach Gary Kubiak: “That play and that drive completely switched the gears for us. We’re 0-4 at the time, pick up that game, go 8-4 the rest of the way and finish 8-8. As a coach, that’s what you talk about with guys – that one play can make a difference in a whole season – and that proved it.”

When asked about the play, Johnson almost shrugs it off.

“As I was running that play, I didn’t feel no extra pressure, like I had to be the one to make the catch or anything like that,” Johnson said. “I knew the situation, but it wasn’t like it had to be me. … I’ve never been a person who felt like they needed a lot of attention. I’ve never been that way.”

Given his lack of chatter relative to the other marquee performers at his position, it shows.



(sports.yahoo.com)

It doesn’t seem realistic considering how good he already is, but receiver Andre Johnson just keeps getting better. Johnson hasn’t dropped a pass in camp. He’s catching the ball all over the field. On one play, he went deep and was covered by three players. He went up with the defensive backs. Safety Eugene Wilson had a beat on him, but Johnson pulled down the ball and scored easily.



(chron.com)

The affable and outspoken broadcast major, Laron Byrd, wears the No. 47 of former UM great Michael Irvin, and regularly watches old film of him with the Cowboys and UM. This summer he has been under the tutelage of NFL stars and UM alums such as Ravens safety Ed Reed and Colts receiver Reggie Wayne. The latter two grew up in the New Orleans area, also home to Byrd.

Byrd said Reed told him, `` `Don't embarrass Louisiana.' The second thing he'll say is when you represent Miami you represent them right. Take every play like it's your last, because you never know. . . .

``Reggie was like, `You've got to represent the receiver spot right. Every time you run a route, run it full speed. Always expect that the ball is going to come to you.'

``I've seen a lot of guys, like Andre [Johnson]. I'm trying to work hard to be his size. The Andres, the Reggie Waynes, the Ed Reeds, the Phillip Buchanons, the Antrel Rolles. A lot of guys roll in and out [of UM], and for me it's motivation.''



(miamiherald.com)

4. Andre Johnson, WR, Texans: He's big, strong and corners can't handle him in single coverage. If Schaub stays healthy, his numbers should be huge.

12. Ed Reed, S, Ravens: He isn't the big hitter some of the other safeties can be, but he's the best playmaker of them all. And he's a willing tackler.

27. Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts: He has been the Colts' go-to guy the past two seasons and with Marvin Harrison gone, there isn't a doubt. He's undervalued by most.

37. Clinton Portis, RB, Redskins: He just keeps on putting up huge numbers. Hard to believe he's only 27.

43. Vince Wilfork, NT, Patriots: Over the past two seasons, he has developed into a top nose tackle. He is entering a contract year, so look for a big one.

Just missed: Ray Lewis, LB, Ravens; Jon Beason, LB, Panthers;

To see the rest of the rankings click here!



(cbssports.com)

8. Ed Reed, S, Ravens
We often define a player's value by how much a team suffers when the player is missing; Reed represents the opposite. During a season when the other three projected starters in the Ravens' secondary combined for only 18 appearances because of injury, Reed played like a man possessed. Despite suffering through injuries of his own, the Ravens had the second-best pass defense DVOA (-23.3 percent) in the league thanks to Reed's raising the play of journeymen like Fabian Washington, Frank Walker and Jim Leonhard.

7. Andre Johnson, WR, Texans
We could just list the wide receivers whom Johnson has spent his career playing across from, but that doesn't quantify just how important Johnson's presence is to making the Texans' offense work. Instead, we'll look back to 2007, when Johnson was on the shelf for seven games. Their passing DVOA was 11th in the league with Johnson in the lineup and 19th without, but he had an even bigger impact on the running game; the Texans actually had the fifth-best rushing DVOA in football when Johnson was around, falling to 28th when he was injured. Think he keeps a safety or two occupied?



(espn.com)

Vince Wilfork, NT, Patriots. Like three-quarters of the division, we'll stick with a 3-4 defense. Wilfork is an elite nose tackle and just 27 years old.

Vernon Carey, RT, Dolphins. There were quite a few players left to consider, but we went with the best right tackle in the division to give Brady a formidable offensive line. Carey will turn 28 in training camp.

Andre Johnson, WR, Texans. He won't turn 30 until the final year of our window and he's a tremendous combination of size, speed, physicality and professionalism.

Eric Winston, RT, Texans. Strong, smart and still has his best football ahead of him. Probably a coin flip between Winston and Tennessee's David Stewart for the spot opposite Roos. I give Winston a tiny edge as he is better equipped to play left tackle or guard if we need to make a move.

Ed Reed, S, Ravens: Reed, 30, would be higher on the list if this was a one-year scenario. But recent ailments make it questionable whether he wants to play football for another three years and beyond. Reed even discussed flirtations with baseball, because it's much easier on the body. But pairing Reed with Polamalu, even if it's just for a few years, would give my team arguably the best safety tandem in NFL history.



(espn.com)

Although his team has yet to make the playoffs in its short history, Houston Texans wideout Andre Johnson has high hopes, telling the Associated Press, "I play this game of football for only one reason and that's to win. I don't play it for anything else. When you go over guys' careers, of all the former guys that have played, the first question they ask is how many Super Bowls have they won. So that's my goal. To win as many Super Bowls as I can before my time is up."

In order to win the Super Bowl - or, ya know, just make the playoffs - the Texans will probably try to get out to a better start than they did in 2008. Hurricane Ike forced an adjustment to the team's schedule, and they began the campaign going winless in their first four games.

It also doesn't help having to face the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans twice each, but Johnson is confident as long as the team's rushing attack with Steve Slaton continues to excel. "When you have a consistent running game it opens up everything else," Johnson told the AP. "You don't have to become one-dimensional and it works well for the play action. You have to run the ball to be successful so as long as we keep running the ball, we're going to be successful."

(espn.com)

Houston -- Andre Johnson is one of the top receivers in the NFL, piling up yards and accolades by the armful in his six-year career.

The individual honors are nice, but Johnson knows he won't go down in history as one of the game's best unless he can help the Texans to more than just their first playoff appearance.

"I play this game of football for only one reason and that's to win," Johnson said Monday. "I don't play it for anything else. When you go over guys' careers, of all the former guys that have played, the first question they ask is how many Super Bowls have they won."

"So that's my goal. To win as many Super Bowls as I can before my time is up."

Of course to win a Super Bowl the Texans will have to make the playoffs after seven seasons without a winning record, much less a trip to the postseason. Houston hit bottom with a 2-14 record in 2005 before improving to 6-10 a year later and going 8-8 the last two seasons.

This is not a new goal for Johnson, who was the third pick in 2003, but in years past his stated goal has simply been making the playoffs.

As he approaches his 28th birthday, Johnson is thinking bigger.

"Playoffs (are) just a start, it's about winning rings," he said. "That's what it's all about."

As he sweats through the third week of Houston's organized practices, he's often smiling. He likes the look of the team so far and is excited about the season despite the opener being more than three months away.

Coach Gary Kubiak loves Johnson's attitude and thinks his confidence and work ethic will help his young team.
"He's a leader by example," Kubiak said. "He's not a rah rah guy. He just does the job and works hard."

Johnson's performance last season was key in Houston ranking third in total offense with more than 382 yards a game. He finished with a career-high and NFL-best 1,575 yards receiving and made his second Pro Bowl a year after a tough season where he missed seven games with injuries.

Johnson said his success last season was helped by the work of rookie running back Steve Slaton. Slaton led all rookies with 1,284 yards rushing and brought consistency to a backfield that had lacked it for years due to injury.

"When you have a consistent running game it opens up everything else," Johnson said. "You don't have to become one dimensional and it works well for the play action. You have to run the ball to be successful so as long as we keep running the ball, we're going to be successful."

Kubiak wants to see how his offense will run in the third year with Johnson and quarterback Matt Schaub together and how Slaton will respond with a year of experience.

"The key in this league is keeping guys together and playing together, that's how they get better," Kubiak said. "With the experience should come better execution."

Johnson and Schaub often talk about their goal of making the playoffs, but Johnson said that talk is getting redundant.

"We talk about it, but it doesn't really matter if you don't put it out on the field," Johnson said. "We know what we have to do. It's not a secret. It's crazy to just keep talking about it all the time when it's not happening. It's on both of our minds and we know where we want to be."

Johnson believes the first step in reaching that goal is to get off to a better start than they did last season. The Texans started 0-4 after their schedule was rearranged by Hurricane Ike and they had to take a bye in Week 2 and play their first three games on the road.

"When you look at that I think that was the biggest thing," Johnson said. "We started off in the hole. We can't do what we did last year, 0-4 that's not a great thing."

(detnews.com)

I didn't go to Sunday's pool party and barbecue that capped off Santana Moss's 30th birthday weekend, but I did make a brief appearance at Current on Connecticut Avenue Saturday night. A few observations.

* Maybe I'm crazy, but if a star of the Pittsburgh Steelers was doing it up outside a club in a crowded downtown Pittsburgh neighborhood, I've got to believe the young crowds arriving to go to other spots would stand around and gawk. Instead, we got a few gawkers, a lot of indifference, and a few people asking us who Santana Moss was. Or just not noticing the Moss part at all.

"Like, Carlos Santana?" one reveler asked me. "That's the only Santana I give a crap about."

* Biz Markie was the DJ, fulfilling his role as Official DJ for every D.C. athlete birthday party. I've lost count, but he's definitely done birthday parties for Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson. I'm pretty sure he did Joe Gibbs's most recent birthday party, but I lost my invitation to that one.

"I just know everybody," Biz said, when I asked about his athletic ubiquity.

This time, there was some sort of dispute when Rock Cartwright's group got ushered into the club before Biz's group. Sports are all about the drama.

* That particular block of Connecticut Avenue has several nightlife options, and the stretch limos with the hordes of angry young men and chattering young women kept arriving all night. Moss's first load of friends, though, came in one of those shuttle buses used by wedding parties. Nice change-up with that one.

Also, there were at least three bachelorette parties on the block. None, sadly, was there for the Santana affair.

* Among the Redskins I spotted: Clinton Portis, Cartwright, Stephon Heyer, Devin Thomas, Chris Horton, Kareem Moore. Heyer didn't want to discuss Jon Jansen's release in that setting, which was fair enough. Thomas was happy to discuss Moss, whom he called his mentor.

"He's my big brother," Thomas said. "I've got to show him some love here because he's shown me the ropes."
I asked Thomas what he'd be doing when he turns 30.

"Hopefully still tearing up the football field like he does," Showtime said. Then he remembered something. "I got a birthday present for him," he said. "A wheelchair and a cane."

As for the party, "he does it big," Thomas said.

* It wouldn't really be a party without an ice sculpture, now would it? Every year, I plan on getting one of those for myself, and every year, it somehow slips my mind. Slip. Ha.

* There was some foot traffic from the goth industrial crowd, there for the dance party around the corner at Midnight. I'm sure there are two social groups that are better opposites than goth industrial dancers and NFL football players from the U., but you're gonna have to suggest them.

* Edgerrin James turned 30 last Aug. 1, 10 months to the day before Moss. (Today is Moss's actual birthday.) So I asked him what it's like, not that I don't know myself.

"When you get to be 30, you already know exactly what you want," Edge told me. "Life kind of mellows out. It's trial and error."

* So is Santana old? "Nah man, he's not old," Andre Johnson told me. "I mean, we all wish that we could stay young. He's 30 years old now, and he still goes out on the field and performs well. Everyone says 30 years is an old age in the game of football, but you can still go out and play and produce on the field, and he's a guy that can do it."

"We don't age, we just get better," Edge said of the Miami crew.

* I'll go ahead and give the fashion prize to WKYS's Jeannie Jones, who was wearing nothing but a Moss jersey, slightly altered into a dress-like shape. "I love everything about Santana," she said.

* While I didn't see any other football jerseys turned into evening wear, I saw plenty of other outfits that fit the same aesthetic, said aesthetic being wear as little cloth as possible, to minimize the amount of flammable fabric on your body in case of a raging fire, I'd guess.

"It is so freakin' competitive, and the girls have such butts and such boobs," said April Jones of the April Jones Show. "It's serious. These girls, they invest their life savings in their hair, their breasts and their butts. It's a whole different ball game."

(voices.washigtonpost.com)

Good to hear Andre Johnson and Wayne plan to work with UM receivers this summer. ''That's my way of helping,'' Wayne said. ``This group is way more talented than the group of me, Santana Moss, Andre King and a young Andre Johnson. I like their speed and size.''


(miamiherald.com)

Quarterback Matt Schaub jogged on the field free of the knee brace he wore the final month of last season.
The shoulder surgery he underwent last offseason was a distant memory as he participated in the first day of Texans organized team activities Monday.

For the past three months, Schaub, 27, has avoided the training room and enjoyed a “normal” offseason.

“It was wonderful, since I didn’t have to worry about coming in the training room every morning,” Schaub said. “I got to spend a lot more time with my wife and travel, and I got to play golf early in this offseason. So that was fun.”
It’s back to business for the third-year starter, though. He returns rested, healthy and confident, and it only helps that his 10 fellow starters from 2008 also return to help build on a season in which the Texans finished third in the NFL in total offense.

“He’s very comfortable,” All-Pro receiver Andre Johnson said. “I think everyone is comfortable. (I see) a lot of confidence. We feel very good about what we have here. We’re just excited about the season, especially about what we did last season.

“The biggest thing we know we have to do now is become more consistent as a football team. Just eliminate the turnovers. And those are the things we have to work on. I’m sure guys will put a lot of pressure on themselves. We’re just out here working to become great.”

Schaub plans to rely often on Johnson, who had a career-best 1,575 receiving yards last season and eight touchdowns. Last offseason, Johnson had injury problems of his own. He had to have an arthroscopic procedure on his knee midway through the offseason and missed the preseason.

This year, Johnson, 27, and Schaub hope to stay healthy together so they can get off to a faster start than they did a year ago when the team opened with four losses.

“Those two guys have been pretty darn good when they’ve both been on the field and at the top of their games,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “A good offseason for them is important. At our meeting this morning, the theme was kind of about the players who are here and taking their games to another level and then the new guys making all of us better. Those two guys need to take their games to the next level, and if we’re able to keep them out here for 14 days, they’ll do that.”

Schaub posted career numbers last season, passing for 3,043 yards. He threw 15 touchdown passes and rushed for two but threw 10 interceptions.

Schaub and Johnson welcome the challenge of building on what they began last year. And they are focused on taking the franchise to the next level — together.

“Andre starts everything off,” Schaub said. “Everything is going to go through him. Then we’re going to work Kevin (Walter) and Owen (Daniels) and Steve (Slaton) in there. If we can just keep moving forward, we’re going to be good.”

(chron.com)

Clinton Portis: 5 carries for 18 yards and 2 receptions for 18 yards

Reggie Wayne: 4 receptions for 45 yards

Andre Johnson: 2 receptions for 29 yards

Ray Lewis: 3 tackles

Jon Beason: 4 tackles

Jeff Feagles: 4 punts with a 48.5-yard average

KAPOLEI, Hawaii - Andre Johnson can’t stop smiling.

He’s had the red carpet rolled out for him twice before in Hawaii, but he never was able to share his enjoyment with teammates.

“It’s always fun to come to the Pro Bowl,” Johnson said. “I think this year is much better than the ones in the previous years because I have teammates here this year. It’s a lot more fun to have two teammates here with me.”

Seeing how much fun defensive end Mario Williams and tight end Owen Daniels are having reminds Johnson of his first Pro Bowl trip.

Reflecting on a productive season in a tropical setting like Oahu may be the best incentive for a player to return to the Pro Bowl.

“Just from talking to them and seeing them in practice, they really enjoy this Pro Bowl and they definitely say it’s something that they would never ever want to miss again,” Johnson said.

Coming off a record-breaking season, Johnson is spending his Pro Bowl week exactly the way fans might expect: relaxing by the pool and enjoying the serenity after an eventful and hectic year.

Johnson rarely has escaped the spotlight after leading the NFL with 115 receptions for 1,575 yards (13.7 avg.) and eight touchdowns in 2008. He was named to the AP All-Pro first team and won the NFL Alumni Wide Receiver of the Year award last week in Tampa, Fla.

While he enjoys the accolades and attention, Johnson also cherishes his free time in a time zone four hours behind Houston.

“I really just use vacations to rest,” Johnson said. “This is a time you can get away, be away from your family and a lot of your friends and things like that. You can just keep to yourself because of the time difference.

“When (people) call you, it’s late where they’re at and it’s early over here, so the time doesn’t match up and you get a little free time to yourself.”

Quiet afternoons on the beach this week have given Johnson some perspective on his incredible season. By all accounts, his performance is the most impressive by any player in team history.

His yardage total was the most in the NFL since 2003, and his total catches were the third-most since 2000. During the course of the season, Johnson surpassed both the 5,000- and 6,000-yard plateaus for his career and topped 450 career receptions.

Yet Johnson talks about his stats in the same hushed tone as he might discuss what he ate for breakfast. Of course, that’s one of the most endearing characteristics of No. 80.

“I felt like I had a great season,” Johnson said. “It’s the best season I’ve had since I’ve been in the NFL. I’m going to continue to work and hopefully next year I go out and have a better season than I did this season.”

One can only imagine what type of offseason training regimen Johnson would have to endure to exceed his 2008 exploits. But that topic is for another conversation. Right now, Johnson is having too much fun.

“To be honest, I couldn’t tell you,” Johnson said about when he’ll begin again. “One day, I’ll just get up and say, ‘Hey, I’m ready. Let’s start getting ready for the season.’ I’m pretty sure it will be sometime soon. I couldn’t tell you how soon, but it’s coming.”

Andre Johnson, Texans. Johnson led the league in receptions (115) and yards (1,575), but most importantly, he stayed healthy. Johnson had seven games with 10 or more receptions and eight games with 100 yards or more. Who will ever forget his 207-yard effort against the Titans in Week 15?

Reggie Wayne, Colts. Wayne had a relatively quiet year, with 1,145 yards and six TDs. Wayne, however, has five straight 1,000-yard seasons to his credit, and he's averaged eight TDs in that span. Being Peyton Manning's favorite target has to count for something.

(sportingnews.com)

As Texans receiver Andre Johnson was shattering his own personal records and leading the league in receptions and yards this season, he admitted he felt that he was the best receiver in the NFL.

Friday, it was clear he is hardly alone in his opinion. For the first time in his career, Johnson was named to the Associated Press' prestigious All-Pro team by receiving 45 of the 50 votes cast by sportswriters and broadcasters across the country.

Johnson was one of 15 first-timers named to the team, and he fell just five votes shy of being a unanimous selection. Only Vikings running back Adrian Peterson garnered as many votes on offense as Johnson.

Baltimore safety Ed Reed was the only player on either side of the ball to receive 50 votes.

"To be honest, I don't know what it is, but I do feel like I am the best receiver in the NFL," Johnson said. "Like I said before, everyone has their own opinion. I have a right to my own opinion.

"I also think there are a lot of great other wide receivers out there. I'm a big fan of those guys and I love to watch those guys play. I'm pretty sure they would tell you the same thing. They feel like they are the best receiver in the NFL and they love watching other guys play.

"I really don't try to get caught up in that. I just try to let my play doing the talking."

Johnson led the NFL with 115 catches and 1,575 yards, becoming the first receiver to lead the league in both categories since Chad Johnson in 2005. Johnson also caught 10 or more passes in seven games, which set a new NFL record.

Johnson said part of the reason for his success was that he focused on getting more yards after the catch. He also said he benefited from the fact that coach Gary Kubiak and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan moved him around more on the field instead of just lining him up out wide on every play.

"I remember the first day I met (Kubiak), he came up to me and told me, 'I'd like you to catch 100 balls,'" Johnson said. "I never thought in a million years I'd catch 100 balls after going through what I went through before he got here. The most catches I had before he got here were 79. When he told me that, I believed him. But at the same time in the back of my mind, I was thinking, 'Maybe he's just talking.'

"But it happened (in 2006). And the next year I started off great, but was injured. Then this year, I was able to stay healthy and was given in the opportunity and showed what I could do with those opportunities."

Johnson joined Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald as the only two receivers on the All-Pro team, and he became only the second Texan to receive the prestigious honor. Jerome Mathis was named All-Pro first team as a kick returner in 2005. Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans were second-team selections last year.

Johnson said he will enter next season trying to top what he accomplished this year, but that there are no specific numbers he will target.

"I don't set personal goals anymore," Johnson said. "My goal is getting this organization to the playoffs. That's always going to be my goal until it happens."

(chron.com)

Ravens S Ed Reed was the only unanimous AP All-Pro Selection and was selected along with Ray Lewis, Jon Beason and Andre Johnson.

Postseason honors are continuing for Texans receiver Andre Johnson, who was named the NFL Alumni Wide Receiver of the Year on Wednesday. It is the second time in his career he has received the honor. He captured it in 2006 as well.

Johnson, who led the league in receptions and receiving yards, will be honored with the other 2008 recipients at the 27th annual Player of the Year Awards Dinner on Jan. 30 in Tampa, Fla. Each honoree receives their award from a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who once played the same position.

Johnson joins special teams player Jerome Mathis (2005) and defensive end Mario Williams (2007) as the only Texans to be honored by the NFL Alumni.

Johnson has also been voted as a starter in the upcoming Pro Bowl, and he is expected to be named to his first Associated Press All-Pro team later in the week.

(chron.com)

He’s a big jolly man with a bright red suit and a sleigh full of loot.

Santa Claus, you might be surprised to learn, lives in Houston.

In spending more than $16,000 for 12 disadvantaged children in his adopted hometown, Andre Johnson, the Houston Texans’ outstanding receiver, discovered that it’s as good to give as it is to receive.

"I don’t feel like Santa Claus, but I get a joy out of seeing those kids happy," Johnson said in a telephone interview. "You really see how much it means to them afterward.

"They come up and give you hugs, and a lot of them just can’t believe that they get a chance to go into the store and get what they want. A lot of those kids have been through so much that that day is probably a day they will never, ever forget."

Johnson is the best receiver you’ve never heard from.

He doesn’t have a touchdown dance or a radio show. He didn’t complain about coach Gary Kubiak or quarterback Matt Schaub after catching only two passes for 19 yards in Sunday’s 27-16 loss to the Oakland Raiders.

He isn’t a self-promoter.

Yet, Johnson leads the NFL with 1,427 receiving yards and is second in receptions with 105.

"And still to be absolutely without trouble," Texans owner Bob McNair said. "He’s just the model player. Everything you look at with him, it’s hard to find any area where you’d say, 'Gee, I’d like for him to do better in this area.’ He’s terrific."

It was almost two years ago, after Johnson signed an eight-year, $60 million extension, that he became Houston’s Santa Claus.

Stephanie Belton, a community development consultant, and Johnson’s uncle, Andre Melton, came up with A.J.’s Shopping Spree.

They joined forces with Child Protective Services, charging case workers with finding 12 of the "neediest of needy" children out of more than 11,000 in the CPS system in the Houston area.

The children, ages 8-16, were given 80 seconds — Johnson’s jersey number — to load a basket at a Toys "R" Us. With "game plans" in hand, the kids left with RipStik, drum sets, keyboards, bicycles, Ipods and Barbies as well as an electronic game system and a game of their choice, which they picked out beforehand.

"A lot of these children have never even been asked, 'What do you want for Christmas,’ let alone get anything they want," said Estella Olguin, a spokeswoman for CPS in Houston. "... They were 12 very lucky children, and I think they know how fortunate they are."

After the shopping spree, the kids were asked seven questions about Johnson: Where did he play college football? What is his hometown? Three made it to the final question: Why does Johnson wear No. 80?

Trey Washington, 11, raised his hand. He had seen a YouTube video of Jerry Rice, whose last NFL season was 2004, and noticed Rice wore No. 80.

Washington guessed Rice was the reason Johnson picked No. 80.

Washington was right, allowing him to load another $1,500 worth of toys for himself and his two younger sisters. Washington, a running back on his sixth-grade football team in Deer Park, called it his "best day ever."

"We’re now the biggest Andre Johnson fans you’d ever meet," said Tressia Finch, Washington’s grandmother. "He’s definitely my grandson’s Santa Claus this year. He is our Santa Claus, too, because my grandson also got gifts for his sisters."

Last week, Johnson was on his way to the Houston Galleria to do his personal Christmas shopping. Asked if he would spend more on his family — his mom, his brother, his girlfriend, his godson and his grandmother — than on the 12 kids he hadn’t met until last week, Johnson laughed.

"I seriously doubt it," he said.

Johnson put $12,000 on his credit card last Christmas, the first year of A.J.’s Shopping Spree. The bill was $4,000 more this year. It was the Christmas that Johnson never had as a kid.

"You never got everything you wanted," said Johnson, whose favorite gift as a kid was a Dan Marino replica uniform. "You had to get what your mom could afford. Some things you wanted, you never, ever got. But you couldn’t say Christmas was bad, because you did get something for Christmas.

"It just depended if family members had the money to get you what you wanted, or if they didn’t."

In Houston, Santa Claus wears cleats with his suit of red.

(star-telegram.com)

I say he is.

Of course, thanks to the unique skills required per position, and the varying duties per team it is impossible to definitively determine the best player in the league.

"There are a lot of people with a lot of talent," Johnson said. "I don't know if you can say there is a best player in the NFL, and just pick one guy."
Yes I can. I'm The King.

(On a side note, what's up with Sean Combs proclaiming he is The King with a new fragrance? Though it is expected to top $100 million in sales next year, The King won't get a cut, and worse, this fragrance reviewer — yeah that's his job — panned the cologne.)

Johnson is big, fast and strong, with excellent hands, the will to go across the middle and he is a superb route runner who positions himself to make throws in his direction easier for his quarterback. He is also a very smart player and a great teammate.

All of that makes him the best receiver in the league.

Is he the best player too?

Johnson has no problem saying he is the best receiver in the league.

There would be something wrong with a top player if he didn't think he was the best at his position, though Johnson said he didn't feel comfortable saying he was the best until his performance matched his confidence.

That has happened this season.

Johnson says Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald are at the top of his "best in the league" list.

ESPN's Chris Carter says Adrian Peterson is the best player in the NFL.

My top 20 NFL players this season (in alphabetical order):
Nnamdi Asomugha, Fitzgerald, Albert Haynesworth, Steve Hutchinson, Walter Jones, Andre Johnson, Ray Lewis, Peyton Manning, Polamalu, Adrian Peterson, Joey Porter, Ed Reed, Shaun Rogers, Bob Sanders, DeMarcus Ware, Brian Westbrook, Wes Welker, Jason Witten, Mario Williams and Patrick Willis.

Just missed the cut: Anquan Boldin, James Harrison, Randy Moss and Reggie Wayne.

Automatics on injured reserve: Tom Brady and Shawne Merriman.

(chron.com)

7 proCanes will be heading to Hawaii in February for the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl. They are: Clinton Portis, Jon Beason, Jeff Feagles, Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, Ray Lewis, and Ed Reed.

Andre Johnson, WR, Houston. At various points this year, I've considered Brandon Marshall or Larry Fitzgerald the best receiver in football. Not the past two or three weeks. In the first 20 minutes of Sunday's game against the best team in the conference, Johnson had five catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 11 for 207 and the TD. In the first meeting between the teams, in Nashville, Johnson dropped two touchdown passes, so he made this game his personal shot at vindication. He succeeded and went over 100 catches for the season in the process. Johnson is big, fast, acrobatic and, though he doesn't have the soft hands of Fitzgerald, his hands are plenty good to be a superstar for a long time.

(cnnsi.com)

When the locker-room door closed, Andre Johnson did something he almost never does. He spoke up.

“When he speaks, everybody listens,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said.

This doesn’t happen very often. Andre Johnson is the guy everyone else in your office respects.

He’s the one who works hard, does what he’s told and keeps his mouth shut. He accepts blame and deflects credit.

If you were looking for the perfect wide receiver, if you wanted a blend of size, speed and strength, he’d be your prototype.

If you wanted a good teammate and a caring, humble man, he might also be your prototype.

The Texans have always known he is special, but as long as the team was terrible, he was going to be one of the NFL’s best-kept secrets. Now the Texans are good, and Johnson is showing the world he’s a dominant player.

The Texans won again Sunday, defeating Tennessee 13-12 at Reliant Stadium. That’s not a pretty score, and neither was the game.

Once upon a time, it was games like these the Texans couldn’t win. When the Titans turned it into a street fight, the Texans responded with some fight of their own.

They controlled the ball for 36 minutes and got a relentless defensive effort from Richard Smith’s group to make that 0-4 start a distant memory.

He’s Pro Bowl-bound
Johnson had a huge day, catching 11 balls for 207 yards and a touchdown. He leads the NFL with 102 catches and will be named to his third Pro Bowl this week.

On this day, he muscled balls away from defensive backs, caught slants across the middle and ran under lobs down the field.

Been there, done that. What some of his coaches and teammates may remember about this day is that Johnson felt compelled to speak after the game.

As the final seconds ticked off the game clock, he was a bundle of excitement, bouncing on the balls of his feet one moment, slapping teammates the next.

After all the tough Sundays and all the painful losses, he finally was living the NFL life he hoped to lead.

That’s exactly the message he delivered after the game. That one was simpler.

He wanted his teammates to know that they’d created something special, that there was a bond and that a foundation for long-term success had been laid.

He began by telling of a Thanksgiving chapel service in which several of his teammates were asked to discuss what they were thankful for.

“It was kind of shocking because, other than kids or families, the thing (they were thankful for) was this team,” Johnson said. “I was just telling everybody about it.”

Reaping the fruits
Yes, character counts. Successful teams are made of a complex fabric that includes talent and character. It’s also teammates caring about teammates.

Kubiak and Rick Smith have created a mix that’s working. Perhaps the most impressive thing the Texans have done this season is stick together through the tough times.

If you think character is overblown, if you’re fine with a team composed of thugs, you’re wrong.

The Texans are winning because of Steve Slaton and Matt Schaub, because of Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans. They’re winning because all those solid draft classes are paying off.

They’re also winning because they’ve got a great approach, because they’ve got people willing to put the team in front of individual accomplishments. These aren’t the Dallas Cowboys.

“Guys have given it up for their team,” Johnson said. “It has been shown over the past month. It’s not just one guy. It’s about everybody.”

He appreciates this success more than some of his teammates because he was here for the worst of times. That goes for Chester Pitts, Dunta Robinson and Kris Brown, too.

There were times earlier this season when the losing finally seemed to be getting to Johnson. He was almost distraught after dropping two touchdown passes in Nashville.

He caught just three balls the next week in Jacksonville, and for the first time, he came close to complaining about the way he was being used.

“There was a lot of frustration at the beginning of the season,” he said. “You guys know that. I’ve put that all behind me. I said to myself before that Colts game I’ll do whatever I have to do to help this team win. I was going to put everything that happened in the past behind me, all the frustration and things like that.”

‘Crazy’ work ethic
He caught nine balls for 131 yards the next week against the Colts and has been unstoppable since. He has caught at least 10 passes in five of the last 10 games. He has four 100-yard games and a 200-yarder.

“He’s the best high-caliber player in this league,” Texans cornerback Fred Bennett said. “There’s really not much you can do about it. I go against the guy every day in practice. His work ethic is just crazy.”

Johnson would get a lot more attention if he ran his mouth more, if he questioned his quarterback, if he called attention to himself.

Those things would also diminish his greatness and the regard in which he’s held in his locker room.

“It’s been a long road,” he said. “I didn’t think it would take this long.

“We’ve learned a lot about ourselves. I think right now we’re starting to find our niche.”

(chron.com)

NFL.com reports Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson finished today's win over the Titans with 11 receptions and a career-high 207 receiving yards, a Texans franchise record. His second-quarter score was the only touchdown of the game and gave the Texans a lead they would not relinquish.


(ffmastermind.com)

Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson became the first player in the NFL to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the season. It’s the third time in his career he has reached that milestone.

Johnson had 10 catches for 116 yards against the Browns on Sunday. It was the first time in four weeks that he topped 100 yards.

“It’s a great accomplishment,” Johnson said. “Everyone wants to go over 1,000 yards and get all the yards and all the catches, but I just want to win. If me getting 1,000 yards helps my team win, so be it. If me getting 500 yards helps us win, I’ll take the 500 yards.”

(chron.com)

HOUSTON—Growing up poor in a tough section of Miami, Andre Johnson decided early on that he wanted to play professional football. He watched the NFL and dreamed of meeting a player.

That never happened for Johnson as a child, so soon after he joined the Houston Texans in 2003 he created a foundation to help underprivileged children and give them the opportunity he never had.

That foundation has grown in the past five years and Johnson has sponsored programs and given time and money to children in both Houston and Miami.

"I really didn't have a professional player come to my neighborhood and do different stuff for the neighborhood," he said. "So I always said if I was to make it one day I just want to give back to the community."

Johnson's uncle Andre Melton, for whom he is named, has always encouraged his nephew to be involved in the community.

"That's how you can reach out and touch people," Melton said. "Sometimes athletes are distant from most people, but I want people to know he's a real person and make sure he understands that he's in a position to do some things and make some things happen. You can't save the world, but you can do your part."

Johnson, who leads the NFL with 955 yards receiving, said when he was first drafted he was struck by how much kids looked up to him.

"I think just me being able to meet kids period is special," he said. "People always say: 'You're a role model.' But we hate to look at ourselves as role models. But you would be surprised at how many kids really watch what you do on Sunday."

Johnson has been honored for his work as one of eight finalists for an award given by Home Depot called the NFL Neighborhood MVP. As a finalist his charity will receive $5,000 and the winner get $25,000 for his work. The winner, which is decided by online voting, will be announced during Super Bowl week.

Other finalists include Atlanta's Keith Brooking, Brian Dawkins of the Eagles, Detroit's Mike Furrey, Steve Smith of Carolina, Amani Toomer of the Giants, the Cardinals' Kurt Warner and Dallas Cowboy Jason Witten.

Johnson, who didn't know he was a finalist until informed by a reporter, was proud to be mentioned as one of the top players in the community.
"Not to just be mentioned as a football player but also for the things you do in the community," he said. "I've never been a person who felt like I really needed any recognition for what I do, but to have that happen though is a great honor."

Johnson isn't slowing down. He spent several hours on his day off earlier this week handing out turkeys and other fixings to needy families for Thanksgiving dinners. He joined teammates Dunta Robinson and DeMeco Ryans with help from a local grocery store chain to feed more than 700 families.

The food pantries in Galveston were depleted during Hurricane Ike so trucks from the island were sent to collect hundreds of Thanksgiving dinners to take back for distribution. Johnson, Ryans and Robinson didn't leave the hard work of loading the trucks to the scores of other volunteers at the event. The trio lugged dozens of bags loaded with two liter drinks and multi-pound turkeys to the truck and didn't sit down for a break until the last bag was done.

Johnson said helping out this year is even more important than in years past because of Ike and the current economic crisis.

"You wish there weren't any needy people," Johnson said. "You really don't like to see people in those situations, but that's life. And any way somebody can help, it's great. We are just very thankful for what we have and it's great just to bless someone else."

(elpasotimes.com)

The Houston Chronicle reports Texans WR Andre Johnson, who had nine catches for 131 yards the first time he played the Colts this season, was held to four catches for 55 yards yesterday against Indianapolis. He hasn't had a 100-yard receiving game since Oct. 26 against Cincinnati. Johnson said the coverage wasn't drastically different from the first time around against the Colts. "They had the safety over the top a little bit more than they did (last time)," Johnson said. "But other than that, it wasn't really a big deal."

(ffmastermind.com)

Houston is developing a nice receiving duo with WR Andre Johnson and TE Owen Daniels. Johnson is an excellent big-play threat and he is almost impossible to cover one-on-one, while Daniels is good on the underneath routes and check downs. Most defenses play a Cover 2 against the Texans to not only take away the deep ball from Johnson, but also to put a safety in place to help the corner over the top.

(espn.com)

After posting four consecutive 100-plus-yard games while making 41 catches in October to take over the NFL’s receiving lead, Andre Johnson has tapered off, with a combined 13 catches for 128 yards against Minnesota and Baltimore.

Johnson’s seven receptions Sunday netted 66 yards, with a long of 20.

(chron.com)

Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson put together one of the best months in NFL history in October.

But November started slowly against the Vikings.

With former Longhorn Cedric Griffin constantly on top of Johnson, the Texans’ top receiver finished with just four catches for 62 yards and a touchdown.

“I guess their coach just told them, ‘Just beat him up,’” Johnson said. “At the line, I got thrown down a couple of times.

“It was one of my more difficult games. I think they did a great job. I think they had a good game plan.

“It kind of got me a bit frustrated. And when you get frustrated, it kind of has an effect on your game a little bit.”

The Vikings often had two players covering Johnson, who didn’t make his first catch until midway through the second quarter.

“They played us in a ton of 2-deep — a very aggressive cover-2,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “They jammed him at the line of scrimmage. We did a little bit of everything, but give them credit. They did a good job and rushed the passer really well.”

(chron.com)

After helping lead the Texans to three straight wins in October, wide receiver Andre Johnson has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Month.

Johnson led the NFL with 41 receptions for 593 yards in four games, and also scored two touchdowns. He had 11 more catches and nearly 150 more yards than the AFC's next-closest receivers. He also led all AFC players in total yards from scrimmage in the month, even without making a single rushing attempt.

During the month, Johnson caught nine or more passes and had at least 130 receiving yards in all four games. He became just the third player in NFL history to catch 10 or more passes in three straight games and the fourth player ever to record 130 or more yards in four consecutive outings.
Johnson's 41 receptions were the second-most in the month of October since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Buffalo WR Eric Moulds had 42 catches in October 2000, but played five games. Johnson's 593 receiving yards were the fifth-most since 1970, surpassed only by St. Louis' Isaac Bruce (650 yards, 1995), Green Bay's James Lofton (606, 1984), Moulds (605, 2000) and Indianapolis' Marvin Harrison (603, 2000).

(chron.com)

The Houston Chronicle reports Texans WR Andre Johnson has two chances to make NFL history Sunday against the Vikings. Johnson can become the first receiver to have at least 130 yards in five consecutive games. He shares the record with Chargers WR Lance Alworth (1968) and Rams WR Harold Jackson (1971-72). Johnson also can set a record if he catches at least 10 passes for the fourth consecutive game. He's tied with the Lions WR Brett Perriman (1995) and the Colts WR Reggie Wayne (2007-08). With considerable help from his teammates on offense, especially QB Matt Schaub, Johnson has lifted the Texans on his shoulders. He's trying to carry them from an 0-4 abyss to respectability.

(ffmastermind.com)

10. Andre Johnson, WR, Texans. It’s hard for a receiver to crack the MVP list, but Johnson is setting a blistering pace and has lifted Houston out of a potential quarterback controversy. Would you believe the Texans are fourth in the NFL in total offense? Believe it. It’s largely because of Johnson, who has 56 catches for 772 yards in seven games. Now, try this on for size: He had nine catches for 131 yards against the Colts on October 5. How does he top it? In the each of the three games since, he has had at least 10 catches and at least 140 yards.

8. Ed Reed, S, Ravens. Always a playmaker of the highest order and someone opponents must locate on every snap, it’s Reed’s outstanding range that allows the creativity defensive coordinator Rex Ryan flashes. He also gets a checkmark in the “guts” category for playing through hamstring and thigh injuries. Every coach who faces the Ravens mentions Reed early and often. Baltimore is second in total defense, third in pass defense and first in run defense. Reed is the primary reason.

6. Clinton Portis, RB, Redskins. Sshhh … Portis is on a pace to rush for nearly 2,000 yards. Somehow, in all the hoopla over Jason Campbell—he’s been outstanding, so he does deserve it—Portis’ career year is getting overshadowed. Portis has 944 yards at 5.0-per clip and 11 catches to boot. The reason he gets the call here over Campbell is because the Redskins’ offensive identity is one of a physical, grinding group that wears out opponents. As a side note: How loaded was that University of Miami title team in 2001? Johnson, Reed and Portis are on this list, and that’s without mentioning Vince Wilfork, Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams, Willis McGahee, Frank Gore, Bryant McKinnie.

(sports.yahoo.com)

Best player you don't know enough about, offense: Andre Johnson, Houston, WR -- He piled up 103 catches for 1,147 yards as recently as 2006, so Johnson isn't an unknown quantity. But the Texans' relatively low national profile has kept him from getting sufficient pub. The guy has numbers that the other Texas-based No. 1 receiver -- the one and only T.O. -- would kill for. Johnson leads the league in receptions (56), receiving yardage (772), 100-yard games (five), and games with catches of 10 or more (four). In October alone, he caught 41 passes for 593 yards and two touchdowns.

Offensive player of the year: Clinton Portis, Washington, RB -- Though I have my doubts that Portis can continue to carry so much of the load for the Redskins, you can't overlook the contributions of a running back who's leading the league in rushing by a whopping 260 yards, and averages 118.0 yards per game. Portis has scored in five of Washington's eight games, and he has at least 96 yards rushing in six of eight, including 121-plus in his last five.

(cnnsi.com)

That has yet to be finalized at this point, but offensive coordinator Ron Turner told fans at the Bears Expo earlier this month that Devin Hester’s workload on offense would likely triple from an average of 10-12 snaps last season to 30-35 this year. Said Turner: “If we can get him that many plays and we can get the ball in his hands 5-7 times a game—whether it’s some quick passes or down the field or whatever—he’s going to make our offense much more productive.”

(chicagobears.com)

HOUSTON: One is the spotlight-seeking, trash-talking star of the Cincinnati Bengals. The other is the mild-mannered, soft-spoken leader of the Houston Texans.

Both are Pro Bowl receivers on losing teams, live in Miami and have "Johnson" on the backs of their jerseys. But that's where the similarities end with the Bengals' Chad and the Texans' Andre, who will share the field Sunday when Cincinnati (0-7) visits Houston (2-4).

Technically, they don't even share a last name anymore. Chad legally changed his to "Ocho Cinco" in August, but the NFL is still making him wear "Johnson" on his uniform for now.

The Texans' Johnson would never crave that kind of controversy.

"I am not a guy who likes to be around a lot of commotion," he said.

But the two have been friends for almost a decade through their Miami connection, proof that opposites attract. They work out together in the offseason and have many common acquaintances.

Ocho Cinco said he was going to call Johnson when he arrived in Houston and try to get a free meal out of him. He also said he was going to tell Johnson to relay some brash warnings to Houston's defensive backs.

So typical.

"Every time I play against him, he's always saying something crazy," Johnson said.

But for the most part, the Bengals' wretched start has put a muzzle on Ocho Cinco. He isn't having a great individual season, either, with only 27 catches for 268 yards.

Ocho Cinco said he's tried to tone down his act for the good of the team. So far, it hasn't helped much.

"It's very difficult," he said. "I'm very boisterous, I'm very flashy, flamboyant. I love to pose challenges to opponents. I'm always saying something out of the ordinary, to get myself motivated to play.

"But I have no room for it. I have no room to get myself going. I'm approaching every game quietly, and doing it in a way that I've never done it before. It doesn't seem to be going the way it should — not just for me, but for us as a whole."

The low-key method has always worked for Johnson, a two-time Pro Bowler who leads the AFC with 629 yards receiving and the NFL with 104.8 yards receiving per game.

"He's a Johnson," Ocho Cinco said. "What do you expect?"

Unlike Ocho Cinco, Johnson will probably never unleash an outlandish dance in the end zone after a touchdown or call out an opposing cornerback leading up to a game. About the closest thing Johnson did to cause a stir this year was reveal how frustrated he was after Houston's 0-4 start.

"I've never been a person that complains," he said. "If I wasn't able to touch a ball for the rest of the season, I'm not going to go to Kube's (Coach Gary Kubiak) office and complain to him or nothing. If the ball comes my way, it comes; if it don't, it don't."

That's probably not how Ocho Cinco would've handled the same situation in seasons past.

He unsuccessfully lobbied for a trade this offseason and threatened to sit out if he didn't get his way. He also skipped voluntary workouts and missed most of training camp with ankle and shoulder problems, while the Bengals stood their ground and refused to release him.

Since the season started, Ocho Cinco has been on his best behavior — acting more like Johnson always does.

"I haven't complained about the opportunities that have come my way. If the opportunities come, I just make the plays," Ocho Cinco said. "I'm trying to do everything I can to get us out of this funk right now. I've been as positive as possible, with the situation that we're in, despite what I said in the offseason."

Right now, Johnson can relate to what Ocho Cinco is going through better than anyone.

The Texans have been one of the worst teams since entering the league in 2002, and Johnson has endured all but the first season. Houston was 0-6 in 2005 on its way to a 2-14 season.

"I'm pretty sure it's really frustrating for him," Johnson said. "It's a rough time for him. He's probably not even thinking about some of the things he used to think about. He's probably just trying to figure out how he can get his team to win games."

(iht.com)

They rise slowly, like an air bubble. Yes, I, too, am impressed by Andre Johnson's , knock'em dead statistics -- 11 catches for 141 yards in this case. Three straight games over 100 yards receiving. He gets overworked in this offense, however. Takes a beating, then he'll get tired and drop one or two. A solid Pro Bowl player, though.

(cnnsi.com)

The Houston Texans' official website reports Texans HC Gary Kubiak said the team has been moving WR Andre Johnson around more in their formations to prevent against constant double teams.




(ffmastermmind.com)

Texans coach Gary Kubiak didn’t shy away from putting a little pressure on Andre Johnson earlier this season.

After Johnson failed to make a play on two potential touchdown passes thrown his way against Tennessee on Sept. 21, Kubiak had a talk with his star receiver.

“My message was, ‘You have to make those plays for this team. That’s how much they count on you,’ ” Kubiak said. “Is that asking a lot of a kid? You bet it is.”

Johnson hardly shied from the challenge, and less than a month later he is on the best three-game stretch of his career. In the Texans’ 28-21 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Reliant Stadium, Johnson finished with 11 catches for 141 yards — his third-consecutive 100-yard game.

Leading receiver
Johnson has 450 receiving yards in the past three games, and is a key reason the team has won two straight after starting 0-4.

“He is the heart and soul of this place,” Kubiak said. “He’s a special player in the NFL. When he plays at that level, he raises everybody else.”

Despite his strong play, Johnson said he is trying to catch up after missing so much of the offseason and preseason because of knee surgery.

Johnson said he and quarterback Matt Schaub are trying to make up for all the time they missed, and that they aren’t as comfortable on the field as they were a year ago.

In the first two games of 2007 prior to Johnson’s knee injury, Johnson had 262 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

“I guess when you have a nine-catch game then a 10-catch game and then an 11-catch game, you would think there is some type of rhythm there,” Johnson said. “But I still don’t think there’s the same type of connection that we had when I was here and Matt first got here.”

Clearly, some of that connection is returning, though. In the first three games of the season, Johnson had just 179 receiving yards and no touchdowns. He had 178 receiving yards against the Miami Dolphins alone last week, and he has two touchdowns over the past three games.

Kubiak said they have expanded Johnson’s role because of his talent and his high level of confidence. The Texans move him around constantly to try to keep defenses from taking him out of games.

Having fun at work
And even with the added responsibility and expectations, Johnson said he’s tried to stay relaxed and have fun on the field.

It’s a combination that is proving difficult for opponents to stop.

“I’ve been given a lot of opportunities in these past three games,” Johnson said. “I’m just out there playing and having fun.

“I can say that the first three games, there was a lot of frustration and things like that. I told myself right before the Indy game, no matter what happens, I’m going to put everything behind me.

“I’ve just started to go back out there and have fun, and when I get opportunities just make the play on it. That’s been my attitude since (Indy), and it’s working out well for me.”

(chron.com)

HOUSTON — Somewhere in his life, Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson must have missed a memo.

In the evolution of this grand game that occupies so much of our fall weekends, it was determined that the pass catchers are supposed to make a spectacle of themselves every time they make a great play or score a touchdown.

Not Johnson.

He treated Sunday afternoon like just another day at the office, catching 11 passes for 141 yards in Houston's closer-than-it-should-have-been, 28-21 triumph over winless Detroit at Reliant Stadium.

"I've been given a lot of opportunities the last three games and made the best of them," Johnson said after finishing his third consecutive game with more than 100 yards in receptions.

He could have said that it's about time the Texans recognized his vast talents, or that if they want to win, they better give him the ball.

Not Johnson.

"I've never been a person who complains," he said. "Whatever's given to me, I take it and make the best of it. I don't need that attention."

And this guy played in college at the University of Miami, the same school that introduced swagger into the vernacular of college football and produced such demonstrative athletes as Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp and Ray Lewis.

Cincinnati's Chad Johnson and Dallas' Terrell Owens seem to talk more than they play football. Andre Johnson may be the antithesis of those receivers, but he won't disparage them.

"I think it's just people's personalities," he said. "I'm going to go home and turn on ESPN and see who dances.

"They're just having fun because it's their personalities."

Andre said he and Chad, who also grew up in Miami but are not related, are good friends.

Andre Johnson would prefer to talk about his teammates when the Texans win. Tight end Owen Daniels caught six passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns Sunday.

"Owen is showing he's one of the top tight ends in the league," Johnson said.

The Texans' coaches and players know how much Johnson means to this team.

"He's a special player on his way to a special season," coach Gary Kubiak said of Johnson, who has grabbed 45 passes for 629 yards in six games. "He's got a lot of confidence right now and we've expanded his role."

Kubiak said he talked with Johnson after the second game of the season, when the Texans lost to Tennessee 31-12 and he missed some plays.
Johnson listened and responded.

"I expect a great deal out of him and we're getting it," Kubiak said. "He's the heart and soul of this place."

Johnson is the most effective offensive weapon in franchise history, and defenses still appear clueless about how to stop him.

"They reminded me of the Indianapolis defense," he said of the Lions. "They had holes, but you had to find the spots because they're well disciplined."

"It surprised me how he caught so many balls (today) after the week he had (last Sunday)," Texans guard Chester Pitts said of Johnson, who caught 10 passes for 178 yards the week before against Miami. "When you're that caliber of player, it doesn't matter what they do. He's as good as they come."

(statesman.com)

In their minds, the winless Texans had given away their past two games against Jacksonville and Indianapolis. So it was time, past time really, to steal one back.

Still grumbling to himself and grinding his teeth over an early fumble on a play he knew should have ended with a touchdown, Andre Johnson took it upon his broad shoulders to do just that.

A replay overrule had erased what the officials on the field called a Miami interception, giving the desperate Texans a last-gasp fourth-and-10 at their 36 with 52 seconds left, trailing 28-23. When quarterback Matt Schaub went to Johnson in the left flat, Yeremiah Bell seemed to arrive there first, but over his dead body was Johnson going to be denied that football.

With muscle and grit, Johnson bested Bell in a desperate tug-o’-war that at least made the Texans’ season salvageable.

Not to be denied
“Matt gave me a chance, and I was able to make a play,” Johnson said. “I don’t know how, but I did. I just stuck my hands up, he put his hands up and the ball kind of bounced around. It was both of us competing for the ball, and I wound up with it.”

Asked if he had immediately grasped the significance of that catch, one of 10 on the afternoon for a career-high 178 yards, Johnson smiled weakly.

“To be honest,” he said, “I didn’t even know what down it was. We were in the two-minute drill and that means you’re throwing the ball on almost every play. Most of us (receivers) out there were gassed.”

Their mental exhaustion, after 2½ months of practices and games with nothing positive to show for their efforts, was probably equal to the fatigue their bodies felt.

But, six plays later, Schaub fooled the Dolphins and almost everybody else in Reliant Stadium by scoring on a quarterback keeper up the middle from the shotgun formation. When the two-point conversion failed and the Dolphins couldn’t counter in the few seconds they had left, the Texans were in the win column 29-28.

Never mind how they had followed a script only a masochist would embrace. As owner Bob McNair noted later, you don’t expect to come out on top too often after committing four turnovers.

“Our guys battled their hearts out, and that’s the reason we prevailed,” McNair said. “They just wouldn’t quit. I’m really proud of them.”

Still, he also said: “It’s hard on an old-timer like me.”

It has been hard on everybody.

“We owed ourselves one, the fans one and the whole city of Houston one,” said Kevin Walter, whose markedly less dramatic if no less important grab for a 30-yard gain followed Johnson’s and moved the Texans to the Miami 11.

Overcoming obstacles
Johnson spoke of the palpable frustration on the Texans’ sideline as things kept going wrong, from Schaub’s interceptions of the first two possessions, to the shaky pass protection to repeated glaring defensive breakdowns. Even what should have been a game-clinching play by nickel back Eugene Wilson ended badly with Wilson snaring an interception off a deflection, only to fumble the ball back to the Dolphins, who promptly went 73 yards to reclaim the lead with 1:45 left.

The Texans had been embarrassed early by Patrick Cobbs, who caught touchdown passes of 53 and 80 yards, the first off yet another new wrinkle by Miami’s single-wing wildcat formation. This after they had insisted all week they were prepared for anything.

But, somehow, all that would be overcome this day.

“I think the two-minute drive (at the end of the game) was a big test for us,” Johnson said. “That was the first time we’ve been in that situation, and we answered. It showed what we can do.”

(chron.com)

The Houston Chronicle reports Texans WR Andre Johnson had the break-out game he needed against the Colts, catching nine passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.




(ffmastermind.com)

If you've got Andre Johnson at wide receiver, you can't settle for fellow wideout Kevin Walter or tight end Owen Daniels. Those two are great, but they need to be second and third options. If defenses are making you go to them instead of Johnson, they are winning.

So as the Texans get ready to face the Colts Sunday at Reliant Stadium, I say force it.

There is no way Walter and running back Steve Slaton should have as many catches (15) as Johnson or that Daniels should be just one off the pace. Sure it's nice to have good distribution. But Johnson needs to be fed.

I chatted with two scouts about Johnson this week, and they offered specific ways to get him the ball early.

One said Johnson has faced bracketed coverage that prompts quarterback Matt Schaub to turn elsewhere, but he added that Johnson is a rhythm receiver who needs to be involved from the start and build on it. He said the Texans should call for five-, six- seven- or eight-yard hitches and quick slants to get Johnson feeling a part of things out of the gate. That way they'll ensure he's feeling alive and coming off the snap the rest of the game wanting the ball and expecting it.

The other scout said he'd like to see smoke routes -- plays where the quarterback can throw to Johnson against off coverage out of what's really a run play, getting the ball in his hands quickly against a corner who's giving a cushion.

Johnson, always a good soldier, has sounded frustrated this week. (If you missed it this morning, here's Richard Justice's account.)
The Texans aren't going to come out and talk about a concerted effort to get Johnson the ball, even if that's the plan. (Have I mentioned I think it should be?)

"If they want to take him away, then other guys are going to make plays," Schaub told Houston reporters. "He understands that, I understand that, our offense understands that. For us to be successful, we need him in the mix. But if other guys step up like they did this last Sunday to make plays then the next team down the road can't necessarily focus on Andre so much because they say, 'Hey, Kevin Walter, Owen Daniels, Steve Slaton; they can all make plays too."

It's a good theory.

What I think those teams will really say is, "Hey, if we put the clamps on Johnson, they may just be willing to go to Walter and Daniels and Slaton, and we'd much rather take our chances against those guys than the guy with 25 touchdown catches and an ability to bull through our defensive backs and get that team feeling super-confident."

(espn.com)

MAYBE it’s the fact that Andre Johnson sees another season going nowhere.

Maybe it’s another year of lousy football and having his talent wasted. Maybe he’s just tired of being part of a doormat franchise that prompted him to speak up Wednesday.

“I think after a while, it kind of takes a toll on you,” he said.

For the first time, he appears to have had enough. It has been reflected in his body language and in his postgame comments.

When he dropped those two touchdown passes in Tennessee, he did what a leader is supposed to do. He stepped up and accepted the blame for the defeat even though there were a dozen other things that went wrong.

So the Texans go to Jacksonville and Johnson touches the ball three times.

“It’s not just me,” he said. “I’m pretty sure it’s that way with a lot of the guys around the locker room. I guess it just bothers me a little bit more because I’ve been going through it since I’ve been here. So, I just have to continue to work.”

For six seasons, he has played the role of good soldier. Never complained. You never heard him say the quarterback was lousy and the coaching even worse.

He could have. He would have been accurate. He just didn’t.

He continued to work hard and play hard and hope the people in charge did the right thing.

Last season when the Texans went 8-8, it appeared they finally would be playing for something this season.

Prime time for Andre
Now he’s 28 and in what should be the prime years of his career. He surely figured things would be different by now.

He had to think the Texans would matter by his sixth year. Can you imagine Terrell Owens keeping his mouth shut this long?

Thirty-six NFL players have more receptions than Johnson. His next touchdown catch will be his first of the year. Ridiculous, right?

“It’s frustrating,” he said. “You want to get involved in the game. You want to go out there and make plays. You just try to do your best when the ball is thrown to you. You know other guys go through it. Other guys on other teams go through it. It’s part of the game. “

He has 15 catches and no touchdowns. Kevin Walter also has 15 catches. Steve Slaton has 15 catches.

“There’s nothing I can do about that,” he said. “That’s not my call. That’s out of my control. I just go out and play. I just go out and do what I can do to help the team win, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

He’s good enough to play for a championship team. He’d make the Patriots or Giants better. Instead, he’s stuck on a team that just keeps losing.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak said Johnson was taken out of the game by Jacksonville rolling its defense to his side of the field.

That’s silly. If he can’t figure out a way to get the ball to his best offensive player, he should hire someone who can.

When someone asked Johnson about his creating opportunities for Walter, he didn’t buy it.

“If that’s how you guys feel about it,” he said. “I just go out and play. All I care about is winning. Like you said, you can see the frustration. I’m tired of losing. I’m pretty sure everyone else around here is tired of losing.”

It’s always something. If you listen to some of these coaches long enough, you’d think they were designing a nuclear reactor.

There are ways to get a player the ball if there’s a desire to do so. How about a quick screen or a slant? How about a four-wide receiver set? How about attacking instead of reacting?

The Texans appear to be at another turning point of sorts this week as the Indianapolis Colts come to Reliant Stadium. They’re one of four winless teams.

A statement game
There’s winless and there’s winless. The Texans have been blown out in two games. If they can’t at least make a game of it against the Colts, wouldn’t it be time for Bob McNair to start holding some people accountable?

Kubiak and Rick Smith have had three offseasons to overhaul the franchise.

Now, this team is mostly players they picked and coaches they hired. If it’s broken, it’s no longer Charley Casserly’s fault.

“We needed one more play to be made to win that game (against Jacksonville),” Johnson said, “but we just didn’t make that play. So, that’s pretty much been the story week in and week out, not making enough plays or not executing on offense.

“So, hopefully we can get that done Sunday. We’re going to go out and give it our best shot.”

(chron.com)

The Houston Chronicle reports Texans WR Andre Johnson accepted total blame for uncharacteristically dropping two potential touchdown passes in the first half of the Texans' 31-12 loss to the Tennessee Titans at LP Field on Sunday. "The first one, I was trying to hold the ball and keep my feet in bounds," said Johnson. "I had the ball on my finger tips, trying to bring it in, and didn't bring it in. No excuse about it. For me to be the elite receiver I want to be, I have to make that play. I accept full responsibility for both of them. The other play, I thought I was by myself. Instead of attacking the ball, I let the ball come into my arms. When CB Nick Harper swung at it, he hit my arm and it slipped right out. It's my fault."

(ffmastermind.com)

Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is being honored this season as one of the Home Depot’s NFL Neighborhood MVPs. The program will honor 17 players who are making positive impacts in their communities through charitable programs and contributions.

Each of the players honored, including Johnson, will have a playground built in his local community and receive a donation to the charity of his choice. One of those players also will be honored at the Super Bowl as the Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP. The overall winner will receive a $25,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

Fans can log on to www.nfl.com/homeDepot and cast their votes for the most deserving player starting Nov. 1.

(chron.com)

Receiver Andre Johnson has been on every Texans team but the first one. He was asked after practice Monday if this is the best team he’s played for.

“I think so,” he said. “There’s a lot of talent here, a lot of competition. And through camp, it was probably the most competition we’ve had since I’ve been here.

“You can tell the team’s better just by looking at us in practice. If we do what we’re supposed to do, we’ll put ourselves in a good situation.

“Guys expect more from themselves. We don’t want to be in those situations that we were in before. We’re determined to get those things fixed and become a winning team.”

(chron.com)

The Houston Chronicle reports Texans WR Andre Johnson made his preseason debut and played until midway through the second quarter without recording a catch. Johnson and QB Matt Schaub have rarely practiced together over the past few weeks. Johnson admitted the timing was a little off, but on a positive note, he said he had no setbacks with the groin injury that had slowed him the previous three weeks. “I'm glad to be back out, I was excited,” Johnson said. “I wish I could have gotten a catch, but other than that I felt fine and was happy to be back with my teammates.”

(ffmatsermind.com)

(on if WR Andre Johnson will play this week) “I think, as of today, yeah. We are going to count on him playing in the game. I think I said yesterday, he will have to be 110% for me to put him out there. All systems were go today, when we came in here on the turf we pulled him out.”


(texans.com)

Johnson worked out with the Texans on Tuesday for the first time since he pulled his groin Aug. 2, the Texans' official site reports.

Houston head coach Gary Kubiak said Johnson would not play this weekend against the Saints. The Texans are in no rush to bring him back, but say Johnson could play if it were a regular season game.

(rotowire.com)

The Houston Texans will be very cautious using WR Andre Johnson in the preseason according to PFW. Johnson, who had offseason knee surgery, has been bothered by a groin injury. The Texans know what Johnson is capable of, and they are not worried about preseason performance.

(ffmastermind.com)

The Houston Chronicle reports Texans WR Andre Johnson was held out of practice Monday and may not make an appearance in the first preseason game against the Broncos. Johnson tweaked his hamstring during practice Saturday. “Andre is doing well,” HC Gary Kubiak said. “I think we're very fortunate with Andre, but I think we're going to take the cautious approach. We're going to make sure we get him 120 percent back before he comes back out here. We'll try to keep his condition level up, but I think we're very fortunate that it wasn't worse.”

(ffmastermind.com)

Anyone who watches the Texans knows how important Andre Johnson is to the team for his receiving skills.

What most probably don't realize is everything else the sixth-year player brings to the Texans.

When Johnson missed Houston's entire offseason practice schedule after arthroscopic knee surgery, coach Gary Kubiak noticed a difference in the practice intensity. Now that he's back on the field for training camp, things are back to normal.

"He's working extremely well," Kubiak said. "He's the heart and soul of this team and that's the way he goes about his business."

Johnson isn't a loud or in your face type of leader. In fact, he's probably the most introverted and soft-spoken player on the team. His performance speaks for itself and players follow his example without him having to say a word.

That's one reason it was so difficult for him to miss seven games last season. Before that he'd sat out just three games in four seasons. Johnson said he felt helpless watching from the sidelines, knowing he couldn't help out.

He's looked good in the first week of training camp, but a scary moment came on Saturday morning. As he was running a route near the end of practice he abruptly pulled up and grabbed the top of his leg. An audible gasp came from the crowd of more than 3,000 as he hobbled off the field.

He was walking normally by the time practice ended a few minutes later and said he felt a tightness in his groin but was OK.

"I just felt it tighten up real tight on me," he said. "When I felt that, I just slowed down. I didn't feel a pop or anything like that afterward. I'll get treatment for a few days and I'll be fine."

It wasn't only the fans who were concerned about Johnson's health. Quarterback Matt Schaub rushed over to check on Johnson the second practice was over. He assured his quarterback he was fine.

Now that he's healthy, he's helping more than just the offense. Kubiak thinks covering Johnson in practice is beneficial for his cornerbacks, especially Antwaun Molden, a rookie from Eastern Kentucky.

"It's a big factor," Kubiak said. "You come from Eastern Kentucky, you don't see many Andre Johnsons. So it's great for that kid to have to line up against him. I think our guys match up well and we get some good work out of them."

Johnson's been with the Texans long enough to know that there aren't many players on the offense people outside of Houston recognize as stars.

"I think we have a lot of talent," he said. "I just think we don't have a bunch of guys with big names. We have a bunch of guys that can go out and make plays and I think that's the big thing. Just because you have big name, I don't really think that matters. If you have guys that make plays for you, that is all that matters."

Johnson had 60 receptions for a team-leading 851 yards with a career-high eight touchdowns in nine games last season. Houston's offense was potent early last season before injuries to Johnson, Schaub and Ahman Green derailed the team's progress.

If he stays healthy this season, Kubiak believes Johnson can flourish in his second year with Schaub.

"I see him getting better," Kubiak said of Johnson. "He's really honed his skills as far as route running ... and what he wants to do. I think he's in a situation with a quarterback that he really has a great relationship with. They work together and they spend extra time and that's the key to being great. There are a lot of good guys, but to be great you have to do a little more."

(dallasnews.com)

Texans coach Gary Kubiak didn’t try to pretend he wasn’t nervous when he saw Andre Johnson pull up short while running a route. Johnson then bent over and limped off the field.

“That’s the worst nightmare for a coach,” Kubiak said. “(A) guy like him getting hurt, it’s part of football, unfortunately, and there’s not a play that you don’t hold your breath, in all honesty,” he said. “You’ve just got to keep pushing through and hope for the best and hopefully it’s our time to stay healthy. We’ve been pretty fortunate through this camp; we’ve been pretty darn good. Keep our fingers crossed with him and see what happens.”

Johnson said his groin tightened up when he was running the route, but he’s not worried it’s serious. He rejoined his teammates at the post-practice huddle, then signed autographs for fans.

“Normally, when you have a pull or something, you can tell when you’re running by the way it feels,” Johnson said. “I didn’t feel anything pop or anything like that. I just felt it tighten up real tight on me. When I felt that, I just slowed down. I didn’t feel a pop or anything like that afterward, so like I said, I’m fine. I’ll get treatment for a few days and I’ll be fine.”

(chron.com)

Texans WR Andre Johnson said Thursday that he is running at "full speed" on his surgically repaired left knee, and it appears he will be ready to play when the Texans begin training camp on Friday.

"I was out running routes (Wednesday)," Johnson told Houston reporters, "and I haven’t had anything since I have been out running or anything."

Johnson missed seven games because of an injury to the knee last season, and pain in the knee was an issue even after his return. Nonetheless, he caught 60 passes for 851 yards and seven TDs. He had arthroscopic knee surgery in May.

Texans QB Matt Schaub said Johnson looks good to him.

"We have been throwing here for a couple of weeks. He says he is good and feels great, so, you know, it’s great to have everyone back and healthy,” Schaub said.

(pfw.com)

3. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts. Wayne could make an argument for being the top receiver on this list. He adjusts well to coverage and can beat you deep or with strong route running underneath. Even with coverage rolled to him last season (with Marvin Harrison out with a knee injury), he still dominated.

4. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans. He is defined by size, speed, and a great set of hands. He needs to stay healthy, but based on pure talent and his physical tools, he deserves to be ranked this high.

(sportingews.com)

PSX reports Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson (knee injury in 2007, arthroscopic surgery in 2008) isn't expected to miss any time in training camp. Johnson is key to the success of the offense. Despite missing seven starts last season, he still led all of the receivers with a team-high eight touchdowns.

(ffmastermind.com)

Meanwhile, Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma reached out to freshmen Arthur Brown and Sean Spence, offering his cellphone number and mentoring (Panthers linebacker Jon Beason did, too). Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork reached out to Marcus Forston. Aldarius Johnson said he cultivated a friendship with Andre Johnson and has spoken with Reggie Wayne and Santana Moss.

UM alumni take losing so hard that Beason was ''in tears'' during games last year. Vilma said last winter that what troubled him in recent years is ``guys not improving year to year. You can't say it's all the talent.''

But after working out with Canes players at 7 a.m. this summer and watching several (such as Allen Bailey) improve this spring, Vilma -- like others -- is encouraged: ``You see everyone wanting to improve.''

(miamiherald.com)

Wide out Johnson may slip under the radars of some fantasy leagues because of an injury-interrupted 2007 season, but smart owners will grab him early. He’s Houston’s top offensive threat, is in his prime and is due for a monster season.

The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Johnson missed seven games in 2007 with a knee injury but put up 851 yards and eight scores and had two TDs of longer than 70 yards, big bonuses in some fantasy formats. Those numbers project to 1,513 yards and 14 scores this year. Anything in the neighborhood would thrill fantasy owners who take him. He caught 103 passes for 1,147 yards in 2006.

Another sleeper might be tight end Daniels. Daniels (6-3, 237) is entering his third season and is a sure starter. He doubled his output from his 2006 rookie year (34 catches/352 yards) in 2007 (63/768). He should work his way into the top 10 tight ends in the league in 2008.

And the Texans have two competent quarterbacks in Matt Schaub and Sage Rosenfels. Resisting David Carr pun. Rosenfels subbed ably when Schaub was injured last year, but Schaub should enter the season as the starter. Schaub (2,241 yards, 9 TDs, 9 INTs in 2007) should have some fantasy value.

The Texans’ situation at running back only bolsters the fantasy value of the receivers. Ron Dayne was the team’s leading rusher with only 773 yards in ’07, and the team scored just 12 rushing TDs. But keep an eye on the progress of rookie burner Steve Slaton, who clocked a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash and ran for 3,923 yards and 50 touchdowns at West Virginia.

Were they not in the same AFC division as three teams that made the playoffs in 2007, the Houston Texans likely would be favored to reach the post-season for the first time in franchise history in 2008. The Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans all made the playoffs last season, and at least Indy and Jacksonville will be favored to advance again in 2008.

But the Texans could pass Tennessee this season, an achievement that would carry no small amount of symbolism. Houston’s original franchise, the Oilers, left for Tennessee, and the Titans helped pour criticism on the Texans in 2006 by drafting Houston area native Vince Young, the QB who led the University of Texas to the national championship.

Houston could’ve taken Young, and the Texans were widely booed when they passed him up for North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams, who struggled his rookie season while Young was voted offensive rookie of the year in 2006.

But it was Young who sputtered in ’07, while Williams blossomed and recorded 14.5 sacks for a defense that should be even stronger in ’08.

And a stronger defense will mean more opportunities for Johnson, Daniels and Co.

(fantasyfootball.suite101.com)

Houston Texans and former Miami Hurricane, Andre Johnson hosts his birthday weekend.

Thursday, July 10 - Friday, July 11

On Thursday, it’ll be help at LEVEL which is located at 412 Main. Friday, it’ll be at EPIC which is located on 3030 Travis St. Both parties are from 9pm-2pm. There is a dress code and you know to get there early.

Dre’s pretty cool. Should be a nice get up. He’s also bringing along friends and I’m sure that’s not the entire list (as shown on the flier). Come out, enjoy. Mark your calenders!




(thatsthatish.wordpress.com)

22. Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis Colts: When Marvin Harrison was out last season, Wayne emerged as the team's go-to receiver. The guess here is that is that it stays that way. He's a true star now.

23. Ed Reed, S, Baltimore Ravens: He is the prototype modern safety: rangy and can still tackle. He is what safeties like Roy Williams wish they could be.

26. Andre Johnson, WR, Houston Texans: Injuries limited him last season, but Johnson is one of the best when he's on the field. The Texans were a different team without him last season.

41. Vince Wilfork, DT, New England Patriots: He was the best front-seven player on the Pats defense last season. He's a load in the middle. Moving him off the ball is tough for any center.

44. Kellen Winslow, TE, Cleveland Browns: He has emerged as one of the rising stars for a rising team. His ability to stretch the defense is vital to the Cleveland offense.

50. Devin Hester, KR, Chicago Bears: I don't normally put return men on these lists, but this guy has earned it. It will be interesting to see how long he can maintain it.

(cbs.sportsline.com)

The news hit Texans fans and Fantasy owners hard when in mid-May, Houston head coach Gary Kubiak announced that Andre Johnson's left knee needed arthroscopic surgery. The star wide receiver wasn't comfortable with how his knee was feeling during a minicamp session and the club opted to clean it out.

About two weeks later, Johnson stood up in front of fans during the team's All-Access event and proclaimed himself ready for 2008.
"If you are worried about my knee, my knee is doing fine," Johnson said. "But we are really excited about this season and hopefully we have a lot of great things to come."

Everyone from team doctors to coaches say that Johnson won't miss a single snap at training camp this summer, but the knee problem underscores what seems to be the only weakness in Johnson's game.

At 6-foot-3 and over 220 pounds, Johnson is the proverbial prototype NFL wide receiver. He's got incredible hands. He has great speed for a guy his size. He can jump with the best of them. He can play against press coverage just as well as zone schemes. And there isn't a down and distance that Johnson isn't qualified to be on the field for.

The only knock is that when he plays hurt, his stats disappear. Some players can play through significant injuries and not lose a beat. Johnson can't do it. In 2005, for example, Johnson was plagued by shoulder and calf injuries. Though he started 13 games, he posted his worst yards-per-catch average (10.9) with just two touchdowns and a career-low four grabs for 20 or more yards.

The Texans learned their lesson after that. When Johnson went down with the left knee injury (which is still lingering), he sat for seven consecutive games. Once he was deemed healthy, he was back on the field and his numbers were incredible.

In the nine games Johnson played in 2007, he scored in seven of them for eight total touchdowns. Of those nine games, he caught passes from QB Matt Schaub in four of them (Schaub was hurt in a fifth game). In those four games with Schaub, Johnson averaged 5.7 catches for 104.7 yards (three 120-yard games) with four total touchdowns. Though he continued to score with backup QB Sage Rosenfels under center, Johnson's yardage totals dipped (86.4 average in five games).

Like Johnson, Schaub also got nicked up in his first year as the Texans' starting quarterback. A concussion sidelined him for a short stint in the first half of the season and a left shoulder dislocation ended his '07 campaign four games early. And like Johnson, Schaub's numbers were off without him (236.6 yards per in games with 15-plus pass attempts, two touchdowns) than with him (250.3 yards per in four games, seven touchdowns).

Johnson told CBSSports.com in April that he's been working with Schaub to get his timing down with him and that he should be fine.

"He got banged up this past season," Johnson said of his QB. "I was too, but we're all just looking forward to this season and trying to be better than we were last year."

For the Texans to be better than they were in '07, two things need to happen: They need to stay healthy, and they need to make some noise in the ultra-competitive AFC South.

"We're in a tough division with some great teams, and it's going to be a big test for us," Johnson said. "But it was a big test just for us to get to .500. We took that step, and we're just going to try keep taking steps."

The good news for Johnson and the Texans is that none of their three AFC South rivals dramatically improved their secondaries. Drayton Florence signing with Jacksonville was the only significant signing -- none of them even drafted a defensive back high.

So with the division's defenses standing pat against the pass, Johnson knows what people -- fans and Fantasy owners alike -- will expect from him. Thinking he'll top 100 catches and 1,200 yards isn't crazy … so long as you also remember that Johnson could be absent for your lineup due to injuries.

"Expectations are always high. That's how you have to come into the season," Johnson said. "We're just going to do everything we can to achieve our goals."

(fantasynews.sportsline.com)

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is a player who will typically be drafted toward the end of the fourth round (possibly later) in most fantasy drafts. A major reason for that is the fact he’s been bitten by the injury bug on two different occasions during his five-year career. With that said, it’s important to look beyond those injuries as you sort through the various rankings and projections that will be released in the coming months.

In the first two games of 2007-08, he had a combined 14 receptions for 262 yards and three touchdowns. After an unfortunate injury that sidelined Johnson through Week 11, he jumped back on the scene with six catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. In the end, Johnson ended the season with 60 grabs for 800-plus yards and eight scores.

Even though he’s already made a name for himself, this might be the year Johnson goes from being a really good wide receiver to en elite player who could have a tremendous fantasy impact.

With its first pick in April's NFL draft, Houston drafted offensive lineman Duane Brown, a former standout at Virginia Tech. Assuming Brown fares well for the Texans, he'll bolster a line that has historically been prone to allowing sacks; extra time in the pocket for a QB means extra time for a wideout to get open, which would obviously give Johnson a chance to thrive.

Moreover, last season’s signing of Kevin Walter provided an additional threat on the opposite side of the field, meaning it’ll be difficult to consistently double-down on Johnson without being burned by Walter. Tight end Owen Daniels and running back Ahman Green are also viable threats who will prevent defenses from keying in on Johnson.

In short, don't be surprised if 2008 is a banner season for Johnson, who's capable of 1,300-plus receiving yards and double-digit TDs. Crazy as this might sound, one should seriously consider drafting him as early as the end of the second round in fantasy drafts.

(realfootball365.com)

When he’s actually on the field, Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is among the best receivers in the league. Last season Johnson averaged 94.6 receiving yards a game, a slightly better per-game average than Reggie Wayne, who led the league in receiving yards.

The only problem for Houston is whether Johnson can stay on the field. Johnson missed seven games with a knee injury last year, and he had arthroscopic knee surgery last month.

But there is good news: Johnson says his knee will be OK for training camp.

“If you are worried about my knee,  my knee’s doing fine,” Johnson told Texans fans at a public event hosted by the team.

While Johnson is out of organized team activities, Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter are working with the first team. When Johnson is healthy he’ll be the unquestioned No. 1 receiver, with Jones, Walter, Andre’ Davis, Tim Carter and David Anderson all competing for playing time.

(profootballtalk.com)

Player, position, injury: Kellen Winslow Jr., TE, arthroscopic right knee surgery.

Rehab status: Winslow had a cleanout procedure this offseason and is rehabbing in his hometown of San Diego. His absence from organized team activities has caused a bigger stir than necessary in Cleveland because Winslow expressed displeasure with his contract at the Pro Bowl. But agent Drew Rosenhaus cleared the air last week, saying Winslow will be in mandatory minicamp beginning June 10.

Next step: When Winslow arrives, he probably will watch from the sideline until training camp. Cleveland has suffered enough injuries as it is this spring (cornerback Daven Holly, receiver Braylon Edwards, tight end Steve Heiden and offensive lineman Ryan Tucker. All were injured during "voluntary" workouts.

Fantasy spin: There's no question Winslow's knee issues figure into his fantasy value, making him a high-risk, high-reward guy for '08. He has 100-catch upside as basically another wide receiver down the middle of the field, and it wouldn't be shocking to see him top last season's five touchdowns. But if Winslow misses significant time, it's hard to say that any other tight end in Cleveland will have much fantasy impact, since Heiden is recovering from disk surgery. In fact, the biggest beneficiaries would probably be Donte' Stallworth and Joe Jurevicius, who would surely see more targets.

Player, Position, Injury: Andre Johnson, WR, injured left knee.

Rehab status: A knee problem forced Johnson to miss seven games last season, but team doctors didn't see a need to perform surgery at first. The injury knee flared up during a recent minicamp and Johnson had arthroscopic surgery to "clean up" the joint in mid-May. The rehab process is just beginning.

Next step: Johnson is missing an entire month of organized team activities, but the team and Johnson remain optimistic he'll be ready for the start of training camp.

Fantasy Spin: The fact that Johnson went ahead and had arthroscopic knee surgery may be a good thing for his '08 value. Maybe it means he'll stay healthy this season. He showed good chemistry with Matt Schaub in the brief period when both men were healthy in '07, and upped his yards per reception by more than three, a great indication that the Texans hope to use him downfield more. Johnson is still a top-five fantasy receiver, but considering his left knee has bugged him for nine months, he's definitely an injury risk. If he gets hurt again, Andre' Davis and Jacoby Jones would be the beneficiaries.

(espn.com)

Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson will miss the entire month of OTA sessions after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Thursday.

Johnson was having lingering problems with the knee injury that knocked him out of seven games last season. The Texans were hopeful that surgery wouldn't be necessary this offseason, but when it bothered Johnson during mini-camp two weeks ago, the surgery was scheduled.

"We went back and forth with the knee throughout the offseason," Kubiak said. "It wasn't feeling the way (Andre) wanted it to feel. So we tried to do some things, some rest and those types of things, to get it better.

"He wasn't really comfortable coming out of (mini-)camp, so we said, 'Hey, let's go scope it and see if there are any issues. We want you to feel comfortable.' Everything was fine. They cleaned it up. Now he feels good about it. He's not going to be hurt by missing some of these reps, so we'll just get him back to 100 percent and get him ready to go."

Johnson was on the practice field with his teammates for the start of OTAs Monday. He stood with the receivers and was one of the last players off the field. He had a sleeve covering his knee.

All indications are that he will be back and healthy for the start of training camp.

"I feel good right now," he said. "The knee didn't swell up or anything. It has a little bit of swelling, but nothing major. If you looked at my knee, you wouldn't really even be able to tell anything is wrong with it. Other than that, I am feeling fine, just rehabbing every day, doing what I need to do to get back on the field."

(chron.com)

Johnson ordered 750 bicycles to be given to underprivileged kids at an event sponsored by the Andre Johnson Non Profit Foundation. In return for the purchase, Wal-Mart agreed to donate water and ice for the May 3 event. But there was a problem. Johnson had ordered the bikes in various sizes for both older and younger kids. But the bikes didn't comes as ordered (more small than large), so Johnson only purchased 677 -- at full retail price, mind you. Well, Wal-Mart didn't take too kindly to this, so on the day of the event (it was 84 degrees out) they wouldn't fork over the water or the ice. AJ's people were told that Wal-Mart would not be donating the ice because they hadn't purchased the 73 remaining bikes. That's cold!

(battleredblog.com)

4. Andre Johnson
Houston Texans
Johnson is big (6-3, 219), physical, runs solid routes and makes plays. In terms of physical tools, he is every bit as good as the three guys in front of him. He may have been overlooked in the past because of poor quarterback play (see David Carr 2003-06) but should improve as he works more with Matt Schaub. Johnson's numbers last season (60 catches, 851 yards) would have been more impressive if he had not missed seven games with an injury.

5. Reggie Wayne
Indianapolis Colts
The only real knock on Wayne is that he has always been 1B to Marvin Harrison, who was 1A. That's no longer the case as he is Peyton Manning's top option now. Wayne has sneaky speed, which can catch a corner off guard. He has a great feel for Indianapolis' system and the ability to find holes in a defense.

33. Santana Moss
Washington Redskins
Moss is small (5-10, 200), but few players in the league can rival his deep speed. He gets pushed around too much, can wear down and has trouble staying healthy. Also, he was tied for third in the league with 10 drops last season, according to Stats LLC. However, with new coach Jim Zorn expected to throw more often than the Redskins did in the past, Moss could have a resurgence. It is clear he will never be a top red zone option or a No. 1 wideout who can consistently handle double-teams, but Moss can be a difference-maker as a complementary option. Zorn will get the ball in his hands.

51. Roscoe Parrish
Buffalo Bills
Parrish has been a versatile player for the Bills. He is a No. 3 receiver who is best in the slot and using his quickness and run-after-catch ability in space. His biggest contribution, however, may come on special teams handling punts and kickoffs.

Click here to see the rest of the list...

HOUSTON, TX — In what he later described as “one of the greatest moments of my life,” Andre Johnson was recognized Thursday during a seemingly routine trip to a Houston-area Gap store.

“I’m just standing there, and some kid says, ‘Hey, you’re Andre Johnson, from the Texans, right?’” Johnson told SSNN. “I was floored. Stunned. It was right then I knew that I’d made it.”

The encounter took place at the sweaters display, where Johnson was intently considering whether or not he could pull off an argyle vest. It was an interesting moment as well for 14-year-old Danny Templin, who spotted Johnson.

“I look over, and there’s this dude who looks like Andre Johnson in the Gap,” Templin said. “But he was wearing an Andre Johnson jersey, which I thought was a little weird and maybe meant it wasn’t him. So I wasn’t going to ask him, because I didn’t want to be the guy who thinks that every black guy in a jersey is an athlete. But DreJay saw me eying him, I guess, and called me over; so that’s sort of how it went down. He seemed pretty excited to meet me.”

According to Johnson, this is only the second time in his career that he has been recognized at a mall, in spite of the fact that he visits them frequently to “polish interpersonal skills.”

“Yeah, you don’t get recognized that much as a pro athlete,” Johnson said. “It’s weird. These dudes like A-Rod and Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady – you know, guys who say they can’t go outside of their house? Those guys are probably exaggerating. That sort of public awareness runs counter to my experience.”

In spite of it all, Johnson was touched by the encounter.

“It was really cute, he was really nervous,” Johnson said of Templin. “He was so nervous that he didn’t even remember to ask me for my autograph, and when I reminded him, he said ‘don’t worry about it.’ To be that nervous and scared, he must be a huge fan. I was touched.”

(seriousportsnewsnetwork.com)