Titans’ Chris Johnson Ends Holdout – Inks New 4-Year Deal
The Tennessee Titans can breathe a sigh of relief this week, as their star running back Chris Johnson finally ended his preseason holdout after management sealed the deal on a 4-year extension for $53.5 million earlier in the week. The signing comes as the Titans prepare themselves to square off against the Jacksonville Jaguars during Week 1 of the 2011 NFL season.
For the past month, Johnson was a no-show in camp, demanding he get paid the same type of money as the best skill players in the NFL – and NOT just at the running back position. Once news spread that the Arizona Cardinals inked wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to a $120 million dollar deal earlier in the month of August, pressure to sign the Pro Bowl running back Johnson had intensified at Titans camp.
As fans began to grow more bitter towards the holdout, the Titans execs’ had made it very much clear that signing Johnson was a top priority. It wasn’t until the end of August that their front office finally put their money where that mouth was and signed Johnson to a much-deserved extension.
It will be Johnson’s 4th season with Tennessee, and with him being back in the lineup the team is looking to finally make the playoffs for the first time since 2008, when Johnson made an immediate impact on the roster as a rookie rusher.
Despite him being back with his teammates, the Jaguars are still favored at -3 at home for the opening game of the season between these two teams on September 11th, 2011.