Remember back in 2008 when Chris Johnson said it was “bogus” that Matt Ryan won the rookie of the year award and not him?
Here’s what he said if you need a refresher:
“He’s a good player, and he played quarterback and did a good job this year,” Johnson said of Ryan. “But the whole thing is bogus, because people are voting for it that are not on the same field as the people who are playing.
“I’m disappointed. I did all I could to win it. I feel I did the best. I feel I did all I could do to win it; it just didn’t come my way.”
After the Pro Bowl rosters were announced on Monday, Johnson once again took issue that he had been slighted.
“I think it’s bogus,” Johnson said. “I figured I should be a lock. I am top three in the league. … I didn’t think there was a way I wouldn’t get in. It was disappointing. I was surprised. But there’s not much I can do about it.”
Does he have those couple of lines saved on a Rolodex somewhere? Come up with something new, Chris.
Johnson currently ranks as the league’s third-leading rusher although the three guys going to the Pro Bowl rank first (Arian Foster), second (Jamaal Charles) and fourth (Maurice Jones-Drew). Johnson can cry foul about MJD getting the nod instead of him, but at least the Jaguars are still in postseason contention (although their chances of making the playoffs fall somewhere between slim and none). Granted, it’s certainly not Johnson’s fault that the Titans struggled this year – he did all he could. But number of wins factor into whether or not a player is going to get voted into the Pro Bowl. (Unless you’re Foster, who leads the league in a major statically category like rushing).
Johnson has every right to voice his displeasure about not getting nominated to go to the Pro Bowl because in terms of pure talent, he’s easily a top 3 back. But it’s not like he was a total snub when you consider the stats. If I were starting a team tomorrow and I had the choice of taking Johnson, Foster, Charles or MJD as my starting back, I would probably take Johnson. But players aren’t nominated to the Pro Bowl based on that.
The good news for Johnson is that he’s probably heading to Honolulu anyway. There are reports that state Jones-Drew needs knee surgery and if that’s the case, he won’t be making the trip. If he doesn’t think it’s too bogus that he got in because another player was injured and therefore skips the game, then Johnson will be playing in two weeks anyway.
