Keyshawn Johnson says he is a better player and a better man than Terrell Owens
Keyshawn Johnson says he is a better player and a better man than Terrell Owens
By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
When receiver Keyshawn Johnson was traded to the Cowboys from Tampa Bay in 2004, he thought he had finally found a home.
He was reunited with coach Bill Parcells from their days with the New York Jets and became friends with owner Jerry Jones. Not only did he have a chance to rebuild his image, but this was to be his nirvana. He badly wanted to finish his career with the Cowboys.
That was before the Cowboys released him last March and signed receiver Terrell Owens. The Cowboys tried to re-sign Johnson but did not come close to the financial offer made to him by the Carolina Panthers.
When the Cowboys (3-3) travel to Carolina (4-3) on Sunday, they will not find Johnson a bitter man. The 11-year veteran believes he found a better situation and a happier place.
"I don't like how NBC is promoting the game. They are showing a picture of me and [Bill] Parcells, with me staring the Cowboys down, calling it a revenge game. They are trying to use me to pump up their ratings. I don't have revenge. I don't have animosity. The people in that organization are all friends of mine. I went to the Arkansas-USC game with Jerry Jones and sat in the box with his family.
"I have heard all the talk about the Cowboys upgrading the position by replacing me with the player [Terrell Owens]. The player is not better than me. He is going to stay behind me, I don't care what the statistics say. He is behind me from the draft to the world in general, in life as a person, as a man and as a player on the football field. I am complete. I am a finished product in every aspect."
"If at all possible, I would like to be an owner one day. It doesn't have to be NFL, but it will be sports related, as long as it makes good business sense. And who else to learn from besides Jerry Jones?"
"I am trying to have success beyond the game. I want to be like Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. I wouldn't want to walk away from the game and have nothing else to do with my life."
"The thing I cherish most about my career was being able to win a Super Bowl title. Nobody can ever take away from me the fact that I was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and that I was a major contributor to a championship team."
"I know people remember me most for writing a book as a rookie. I have no regrets about that. People seem to forget what you have done as a player. They just want to talk about a book. But I have written several books, children's books, a workout book. But people just want to give me the Throw Me the Damn Ball book.
"I would have liked to have finished my career in Dallas. It didn't work that way. I was enjoying the situation. I was content. But I wasn't going to sit back and play for free, regardless of what my relationship was with the owner and coach. It's a business.
"Jake [Delhomme] is one of the three best quarterbacks I have played with, along with Vinny Testaverde and Brad Johnson. Drew Bledsoe is a good quarterback. This quarterback can help me win another Super Bowl. I don't know if that would have been the case with Drew [Bledsoe] in Dallas."
"I think I have a few more years left in me. I would like to get to 1,000 catches and win another world championship so I can put the pressure on the Hall of Fame voters. It's about winning another title for me. If I have the catches and the title, how they keep me out?"
"My mother raised six kids in south central Los Angeles. My siblings sold drugs and were in gangs. We were homeless for a time. I think I am blessed to be where I am today
By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
When receiver Keyshawn Johnson was traded to the Cowboys from Tampa Bay in 2004, he thought he had finally found a home.
He was reunited with coach Bill Parcells from their days with the New York Jets and became friends with owner Jerry Jones. Not only did he have a chance to rebuild his image, but this was to be his nirvana. He badly wanted to finish his career with the Cowboys.
That was before the Cowboys released him last March and signed receiver Terrell Owens. The Cowboys tried to re-sign Johnson but did not come close to the financial offer made to him by the Carolina Panthers.
When the Cowboys (3-3) travel to Carolina (4-3) on Sunday, they will not find Johnson a bitter man. The 11-year veteran believes he found a better situation and a happier place.
"I don't like how NBC is promoting the game. They are showing a picture of me and [Bill] Parcells, with me staring the Cowboys down, calling it a revenge game. They are trying to use me to pump up their ratings. I don't have revenge. I don't have animosity. The people in that organization are all friends of mine. I went to the Arkansas-USC game with Jerry Jones and sat in the box with his family.
"I have heard all the talk about the Cowboys upgrading the position by replacing me with the player [Terrell Owens]. The player is not better than me. He is going to stay behind me, I don't care what the statistics say. He is behind me from the draft to the world in general, in life as a person, as a man and as a player on the football field. I am complete. I am a finished product in every aspect."
"If at all possible, I would like to be an owner one day. It doesn't have to be NFL, but it will be sports related, as long as it makes good business sense. And who else to learn from besides Jerry Jones?"
"I am trying to have success beyond the game. I want to be like Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. I wouldn't want to walk away from the game and have nothing else to do with my life."
"The thing I cherish most about my career was being able to win a Super Bowl title. Nobody can ever take away from me the fact that I was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and that I was a major contributor to a championship team."
"I know people remember me most for writing a book as a rookie. I have no regrets about that. People seem to forget what you have done as a player. They just want to talk about a book. But I have written several books, children's books, a workout book. But people just want to give me the Throw Me the Damn Ball book.
"I would have liked to have finished my career in Dallas. It didn't work that way. I was enjoying the situation. I was content. But I wasn't going to sit back and play for free, regardless of what my relationship was with the owner and coach. It's a business.
"Jake [Delhomme] is one of the three best quarterbacks I have played with, along with Vinny Testaverde and Brad Johnson. Drew Bledsoe is a good quarterback. This quarterback can help me win another Super Bowl. I don't know if that would have been the case with Drew [Bledsoe] in Dallas."
"I think I have a few more years left in me. I would like to get to 1,000 catches and win another world championship so I can put the pressure on the Hall of Fame voters. It's about winning another title for me. If I have the catches and the title, how they keep me out?"
"My mother raised six kids in south central Los Angeles. My siblings sold drugs and were in gangs. We were homeless for a time. I think I am blessed to be where I am today
posted by The Gryphon at 9:58 AM
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