Even though he wasn’t destined for the Hall of Fame, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend, Keyshawn Johnson, holds a special place in NFL history. With three Pro Bowl nominations and a Super Bowl victory stamped on his resume, the first overall pick of the 1996 NFL Draft managed to produce 10,571 receiving yards throughout the span of his 11-year NFL career, good for the 48th most in history.
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Unfortunately, the early days of his career weren’t appreciated by everyone. By virtue of being a New York Jet, in addition to the fact that he recorded 731 receiving yards and five touchdowns throughout his nine games against them, Johnson was one of the most hated men in the city of New England.
During a recent conversation with Julian Edelman on the Games with Names podcast, the former wide receiver recalled that,
“New England fans hated me, because I didn’t do nothing but talk sh*t. And I used to murder New England. I used to murder them. It was the worst thing they could have ever seen coming through the building. Real talk. Google it.”
Johnson’s most notable performance against the Patriots came during the season opener in 1999. By recording a career-high 194 receiving yards on eight receptions, Johnson ensured that New England’s season started off on a sour note.
Keyshawn Johnson remembers Belichick-Jets debacle
Ironically enough, it would be a member of the New England Patriots’ dynasty that would prove to be responsible for Johnson’s inevitable departure from New York. When asked to give his recollection of the infamous Bill Belichick-napkin incident, Johnson claimed that the head coach’s untimely decision opened the door to him being traded.
“They said ‘I think Bill is getting ready to retire.’ F**k you mean? I go up to Parcells’ office and he’s there. He’s like *mumbles*, some ol’ bull sh*t or whatever. So, now Berj is taking me back down to the team room, and here comes Belichick, got the little napkin. He’s reading it, the media’s there, and I’m like ‘What the f**k just happened?'”
According to Johnson, had Belichick decided to stay, the Jets would have never traded him. “Parcells became president of the team, he had full autonomy and authority to do what he wanted to. Parcells is actually the one that traded me.”
Given the rich history between Johnson and the Patriots, it’s probably safe to say that he doesn’t care much for them either. Despite playing in just 62 games with the Jets, Johnson was able to produce 4,108 receiving yards, the 12th most by any receiver in the history of the franchise.
The last-second decision by Belichick stands as one of the great “butterfly effect” moments in NFL history. While it would ultimately give way to the greatest dynasty in the history of professional football, it would also derail the career paths of both Parcells and Johnson.
Thankfully, Johnson landed easy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he’d go on to win the Super Bowl just a few seasons later, something that could have never happened to him so long as he remained in New York. Suffice to say, when one door closes, another one opens.
