Friday Walk-Thru: Chris Johnson Disputes 'Rumors' and 'Lies'

The standoffs in San Diego (Vincent Jackson/Marcus McNeill vs. the Chargers) and Washington (Albert Haynesworth vs. Redskins/World) have become downright ugly.

The one in Tennessee (Chris Johnson vs. the Titans) has taken a turn for the bizarre.

We know Johnson is fast ... but fast enough to be in Nashville and Orlando at the same time?

Johnson, who became the sixth player in NFL history to reach the 2,000-yard rushing milestone last season, is due to make just $550,000 in 2010, the third year of his contract since being taken in Round 1 of the 2008 draft out of East Carolina. Johnson wants a big -- really big -- contract extension and boycotted all offseason workouts, including a mandatory minicamp last week, to make his case.

Yet according to The Tennessean, Johnson was in town for a promotional event and went to Baptist Sports Park, the team's headquarters, on Wednesday to work out. The paper says it was the second time Johnson has shown up there.

In a text message to The Tennessean, Johnson called the reports "false" and said he'd not been in town since taking part in a football camp two weeks earlier. The paper, though, said sources confirmed Johnson was there, while most of his coaches and teammates were gone on vacation.



Share Johnson, the 2009 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, was adamant -- if not angry -- in his text message denial Thursday.

"I said I didn't work out there," he wrote. "I don't owe you or Tennessee no explanation. I don't want to talk about [the] Titans or contract period."

More denials came in an Ustream video later in the day.

"No, I didn't work out today in Tennessee. I am in Orlando, Florida," said Johnson, who rushed for 2,006 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. "The rumors, those are lies. I haven't been back to Tennessee since my camp."

The Titans were 8-8 with Johnson in the lineup last season. Take 2,500 yards from scrimmage away and what do you have? Right now, the other running backs on the roster are Javon Ringer (eight carries in '09), Alvin Pearman (no carries since '06) and a pair of undrafted rookie free agents, LaGarrette Blount and Stafon Johnson, with very compelling stories.

Johnson's status, however, will be the story in Tennessee for a while.

For now, there are at least two versions.

A LIONS' SHARE OF PARTYING

Man, when Detroit Lions honchos get DUIs, they don't mess around.

After team president Tom Lewand (right) was pulled over for "driving erratically" after leaving a bar last week, Lewand told police in Roscommon County, Mich., that he went to the bar to pick up a friend, and that he was serving as a designated driver.

Lewand then blew 0.21 and 0.20, more than 2 1/2 times the legal limit, on his breathalyzer tests.

Gimme the keys and where's the party?

And where's the commissioner?

Players routinely get whacked with game suspensions for DUI arrests. Lewand deserves a similar punishment from Roger Goodell, plus a nice hit to the wallet. Retired linebacker Antonio Pierce weighed in on that very issue via Twitter.

"I hope Roger Goodell holds NFL exec to the same standards as the players," Pierce wrote. "Trust me all players are talking about that right now."

Me? I couldn't help but recall how the Lions had an assistant coach get nailed twice for alcohol-related incidents in 2006. Defensive line coach Joe Cullen, now with Jacksonville, was naked when he went through a fast-food drive-in window. That got him a couple citations (and more than a few jokes tossed his way). A week later, he was busted for DUI. Cullen was suspended for two games and fined $20,000.

Four years after the desi-naked driver comes a smashed designated driver. Must be something in the Motor City water.

QUICK SLANTS

• LaDainian Tomlinson, now 31 and with a new team, told ESPN he's tired of being doubted at this waning stage of his illustrious career. Tomlinson, the former Chargers icon now with the New York Jets, is ready to back up Shonn Greene and put an exclamation point on a career already with 12,490 rushing yards (8th all-time) and Hall of Fame credentials. "I'll win a Super Bowl," he said.

• The Atlanta Falcons are on record saying they want an open-air stadium. The Georgia World Congress Center Authority wants the Georgia Dome to remain a venue for the Southeastern Conference Championship Game and Final Fours. The GWCCA released a study this week saying a proposed expansion of the dome could cost as much as $349 million, plus another $200 million for a retractable roof, adding that -- get this -- design costs, project fees and decks could raise the price anywhere from 10 percent to double. Nothing like a good estimate.
• What are the Pittsburgh Steelers waiting on? With Willie Colon presumably gone for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, signing former Dallas Cowboys left tackle Flozell "The Hotel" Adams seems as foregone a conclusion as Adams being flagged for holds and false starts.

• Chris Simms says he wasn't smoking marijuana, but cigarettes, instead. With his pregnant wife in the car? Not sure which is worse.

• Headline in The Buffalo News this week: "Fans shouldn't rush to judgment on Bills' Gailey." Couldn't agree more. At least let Chan coach a game.