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NFL fines Steve Johnson $10K
Buffalo Bills receiver Steve Johnson has been fined $10,000 for his questionable touchdown celebration in last weekend's loss to the New York Jets, a person familiar with the NFL's disciplinary decision has told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the league has not made an announcement.
Johnson declined to confirm whether he had been punished except to say he had an overnight courier envelope from the NFL waiting for him at his locker when he arrived for practice. Johnson left the envelope unopened because he expected to find inside formal notification of his fine.
Johnson said he was done discussing the celebration -- and the national criticism he received as a result of it -- and is instead focusing on looking forward to helping the Bills (5-6) end a four-game slump on Sunday when they host the Tennessee Titans (6-5).
"If I do, I get fined. But we've got to move on," he said. "It's the Tennessee Titans. I'm not really worried about a fine right now. It's part of the game. People get fined. But we've still got a football game on Sunday."
Johnson was fined as a result of a celebration in which he mocked Jets receiver Plaxico Burress by mimicking shooting himself in the thigh after scoring on a 5-yard catch late in the first half. Burress served 20 months in prison on a weapons charge after accidentally shooting himself in a New York City nightclub in 2008.
Johnson's much-criticized celebration came immediately after the Bills' top receiver scored with 2:06 left in the first half to put the Bills up 14-7.
Johnson didn't stop there. He then imitated a jet in flight before crashing to the turf. That was the costly penalty, because he was flagged 15 yards for going to the ground.
The Bills blew a squib kick on the next kickoff, leading to the Jets capitalizing on a short field position to tie the score a little more than a minute later.
Johnson said he was unaware he would be penalized, and added he regrets making fun of Burress.
He's exchanged texts and apologized to Burress, adding that "everything's cool" between the two.
Burress told ESPN Radio in New York that he and Johnson talked and agreed to move on.
"I don't look at him as any less than he was before. And I don't want everybody to say he's a bad guy because he made a mistake. I've made a few in my life," Burress said. "I have a lot of respect for him as a player. And I think he's going to rebound from that."
Although Burress declined to slam Johnson, the celebration has made Johnson into a lightning rod for criticism.
Jets coach Rex Ryan called Johnson's celebration "ridiculous" and former NFL player-turned-TV-analyst Rodney Harrison called the receiver's antics "dumb" and "immature."
Bills coach Chan Gailey said Monday he was still bothered by Johnson mocking Burress, but said he'll leave it to the NFL on whether further discipline is warranted.
"If I benched everybody for every dumb mistake that was made, there wouldn't be any coaches or players out there because we've all made dumb mistakes," Gailey said. "Everybody gets happy about scoring. I don't want him to not like it. But at the same time, you've got to be under control."
Johnson said he's unfazed by the criticism, but a conversation with Gailey has led him to rule out further post-touchdown celebrations.
"He was telling me I have to be smarter. I've got to be more aware of the situations and rules," Johnson said. "I'll listen to every word that he says. That's my coach."
This isn't the first time Johnson has drawn attention -- and a flag -- after a score.
Last year, he shelled out a combined $15,000 on two fines. That included a $10,000 fine and a 15-yard penalty for excessive celebration for falling back to the ground after pretending to shoot off a rifle -- mimicking what the Patriots' Minutemen mascots do following a New England score -- in a 38-30 loss at New England.
Source: AP