Andre Johnson released - cut by Colts - signs with Titans

[dc_txtech]

Please tell me you remember the thread I'm thinking about. It was one of the funnier ones this year.

I wish I could tell you that I did, perhaps you could link us to it. I thought it was funny that he would spit in the face of Rick Smith's who is a still somewhat young former college football strong safety.

I'm not sure that I could beat up Rick Smith, and I work out sometimes and once wore a Tap-Out shirt.

 

[TEXANRED]

This just goes to show who's organization is better run. We had a chance at Manning and passed in favor of Schaub. The Colts had a plane waiting for AJ on the runway the second he was cut.

 

[Norg]

Today, my views on Andre have slighty changed he could of gone anywhere but there I wouldn't say hate but this move bugs me

 

[Brisco_County]

In my perfect world, O'Brien would have found a way to maximize Andre's talents until he retired. But if that's not going to happen, I will root for him as a Colt when he's not playing the Texans, and even if the Texans are eliminated from the playoffs. Andre stuck with the Texans in an effort to build something special, and restructured his contracts for the team's benefit. He deserves a ring.

Now realistically, I don't think he's going to emerge as the missing piece to a Colt's Super Bowl run. He'll make some occasional big plays, and he'll retire after two years. Then his Jersey will be hung in Houston.

 

[thunderkyss]

So, only $8.7MM to the other team in case of a trade. Not much different from the $7MM he's getting from the Colts (not sure of the structure, 7 is the average).

His contract had like $10.5M in salary & the $1M work out bonus for being at OTAs & the other voluntary activities. Had we traded him to the Chargers & not restructured his contract he would have counted $11.5M against their cap.

$2M (or so) of the $7.3 (or whatever) dead money against our cap includes the prorated portion of his bonus that would have been on our 2016 cap had he played out his contract.

It's possible that the Chargers would have wanted Andre to restructure the remaining two year $21M of his deal to facilitate the trade. In that case, Andre could have said no & there would not have been a trade at all. But it's also possible that they would have done the trade anyway giving up less compensation... say a 6th instead of a 5th, or a 7th next year instead of a 7th this year.

Still, the fact that these two teams (& reportedly six others) were bidding for Andre in the open market & $21M over three years is not chump change, it's possible & likely we could have gotten something for Andre in trade.

We'll never know, it's possible that RickyBobby shopped Andre & got no bites. It's unlikely a guy like Andre could have been on the block & there's nothing about it in the media, especially considering the three year $21 million dollar deal.


Then again, I don't think anyone knew about the Jimmy Graham trade until after it was done... so who knows??

Did I mention that Haloti Ngata was traded to the Lions for a 4th & 5th round pick? To think we didn't even sniff the possibility of getting a guy like Ngata for a pittence suggests to me that our F.O. is still playing checkers when it comes to trading more than low value QBs for 7th round picks.

 

[paycheck71]

We'll never know, it's possible that RickyBobby shopped Andre & got no bites. It's unlikely a guy like Andre could have been on the block & there's nothing about it in the media, especially considering the three year $21 million dollar deal.

The way things went down, it's also possible that Andre's agent was talking to the Colts all along, and the deal was imminent. All other inquiries were shut down. That's why he talked Gore into going there, too.

 

[infantrycak]

The way things went down, it's also possible that Andre's agent was talking to the Colts all along, and the deal was imminent. All other inquiries were shut down. That's why he talked Gore into going there, too.

Other way around - Gore called AJ.

AJ also said Gore came up with Indy first although he agreed that was the best destination.

 

[The Pencil Neck]

Well, my bad. I guess it sounds like the Texans did AJ a favor by cutting him and not trading him to the highest bidder? Now he gets to go play for the Colts and possibly win a Championship. Yippee.

Championship?

They can't play for a championship because they'd have to go through us.

And they're not going through us.

 

[paycheck71]

Other way around - Gore called AJ.

AJ also said Gore came up with Indy first although he agreed that was the best destination.

The only thing I heard on the subject was that AJ called Gore, who had a deal agreed to with Philly, to join him in Indy.

 

[thunderkyss]

The way things went down, it's also possible that Andre's agent was talking to the Colts all along, and the deal was imminent. All other inquiries were shut down. That's why he talked Gore into going there, too.

I'm talking about before the first conversation with Rick Smith.


& the Texans don't need Andre's approval to trade him if there was someone willing to take his existing contract as is.

 

[Hervoyel]

Why?

Because he wouldn't show up to camp and be a leader?

Or because he drops passes and fumbles now?

Just curious which part was the teams fault.

Also want to see where BoB has confirmed the "40 catch" comment. No way that was ever said. The system allows the QB to walk up to the line and choose the best play. AJ could have theoretically been targeted every damn play if the defense showed the right set.

Bunch of BS by a crybaby. Maybe Luck will go down and Indy will bring in Schaub so they can rub moose-knuckles ...

I just really kind of believe you have a good point here. AJ may very well be the greatest Texan to date but last year when he was throwing his tantrum while the Texans were trying to get everyone on the same page and on board with the new regime he put himself behind Hopkins.

He quit on the Texans before the Texans quit on him. I'm sorry that they didn't get anything for him and I think that a smarter franchise could have figured out how to do that. This is a world where Case Keenum can get you a 7, surely Andre Johnson can get you something.

Regardless of the fact that AJ now plays in Indianapolis one thing hasn't changed. I want them to lose every single time they take the field. I hate the Colts like I never hated the Steelers or the Cowboys. I won't applaud AJ when he comes to town. I'll clap for him when he goes into the HoF and I'll clap for him on the day the Texans retire his number (if that should happen) or the day they sign him to that imaginary BS contract so he can "retire a Texan" but as long as he's a Colt he can go **** himself just like every other SOB on that team.

 

[Hervoyel]

I'm talking about before the first conversation with Rick Smith.


& the Texans don't need Andre's approval to trade him if there was someone willing to take his existing contract as is.

I really wonder if they picked up the phone and called the Raiders. The Raiders need to take on salary every year and they would surely be interested in AJ. I can't imagine a reality where giving Derrek Carr a target like Andre Johnson to throw to wouldn't be considered a good thing.

If the Texans were going to wear the daddy pants in dealing with AJ then they should have offered him and his big-ass contract to Oakland for whatever they could get for him.

 

[infantrycak]

The only thing I heard on the subject was that AJ called Gore, who had a deal agreed to with Philly, to join him in Indy.

I'm on my phone and can't find it but there was an article that Gore was set to go to Philly when AJ was released and called AJ to say let's go somewhere together. AJ related it as telling Gore he hadn't had time to think about things, where did Gore think they could go and Gore said Indy and AJ agreed. If I can find it later I will but he laid the idea on Gore (who Indy had expressed interest in).

 

[Hervoyel]

I'm on my phone and can't find it but there was an article that Gore was set to go to Philly when AJ was released and called AJ to say let's go somewhere together. AJ related it as telling Gore he hadn't had time to think about things, where did Gore think they could go and Gore said Indy and AJ agreed. If I can find it later I will but he laid the idea on Gore (who Indy had expressed interest in).

Well, maybe that happened. AJ says a lot of things.

He also doesn't like to be the bad guy either (Who really does?) so I guess I don't really believe him but it doesn't matter at this point. Too bad Ed Reed couldn't make the party in Indy. Missed it by that much.

 

[False Start]

He'll be wearing # 81....

 

[JCTexan]

Jesus, the butt-hurt is awfully strong in here!

haha maybe a little. Andre has been my favorite player since he had entered the league in 2003. He was the first player I bought a jersey with a # in the back in any sport since I had a Biggio jersey in the 90's. In no way did I see AJ as a 40 catch receiver this year. I did not want Andre Johnson traded or cut. He is a hell of a WR and I did not see him being anything worse than our #2 WR entering this year. I fully believe AJ will get over 1,200 yards receiving with Andrew Luck as his QB.

I just refuse to root for anything that does not benefit the Houston Texans. Rooting for any aspect of the Colts team to have success does not benefit the Texans. That team in Indianapolis has made the playoffs to the detriment of our Texans every year but once since our inception. The Colts are the enemy and AJ is now the enemy. I'm honestly going to hate not rooting for #80.

The finest player in Texans history is leaving.
He's leaving to a (hell, "THE") division rival.
That's it.

Personally, I wish him several more good years to ensure his bust sits in Canton (where it belongs).

I hope he avoids injury.

I'll applaud when his name in announced @ NRG.

I hope we beat the Colts into the turf everytime we play.

The rest of this is basically how I feel. I just hope he has to endure a couple more 2-14 seasons with the Colts.

 

[htownfan32]

I hope Kareem Jackson bodyslams his *** into the ground in NRG and in that ****hole Indianapolis.

He's dead to me and will be until the day (if) he comes back for that one day contract and retires in red and blue.

 

[austins23]

I hope Kareem Jackson bodyslams his *** into the ground in NRG and in that ****hole Indianapolis.

He's dead to me and will be until the day (if) he comes back for that one day contract and retires in red and blue.

Wouldn't bother me a bit if ol Jungle Boi lays him out, and gets a penalty. As long as he doesn't maim Andre, of course.

 

[deucetx]

I'm on my phone and can't find it but there was an article that Gore was set to go to Philly when AJ was released and called AJ to say let's go somewhere together. AJ related it as telling Gore he hadn't had time to think about things, where did Gore think they could go and Gore said Indy and AJ agreed. If I can find it later I will but he laid the idea on Gore (who Indy had expressed interest in).

Maybe may mean this one:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/11/andre-johnson-frank-gore-and-i-agree-we-can-win-a-super-bowl/

Johnson said that as soon as the Texans cut him, Gore (a University of Miami teammate) was on the phone, trying to convince him that they should sign with the same team and try to get a ring.

“After I got released by the Texans, Frank called me,” Johnson said. “He called me right after it happened and was just like, ‘What are you gonna do?’ I’m like, ‘Frank, I don’t know. I just got released. I don’t know.’ I asked, him ‘Who do you think has the best chance to win a Super Bowl?’ And he was like, ‘Indy.’ And I was like, ‘That’s my same choice too so let’s do it, let’s go for it.’ And they were able to get both of us here.”

 

[Marshall]

So he signed for three years for less than he was due in the next two years here. But he didn't want to do that here.

He didn't want to be a part of the Post Kubiak Texans.

HIS CHOICE!

ps His Indy contract is similar to what I suggested to keep him here. Extend for the same money to reduce the per/yr hit.

 

[thunderkyss]

So he signed for three years for less than he was due in the next two years here. But he didn't want to do that here.

We don't know that. They never got to contract talks of any kind. The HC had already insulted him.

He didn't want to be a part of the Post Kubiak Texans.

Hard to say. Last year, his gripe was that his future here was uncertain since the guaranteed portions or his contract had all expired. He was asking to make portions of his contract going forward guaranteed.

HIS CHOICE!

ps His Indy contract is similar to what I suggested to keep him here. Extend for the same money to reduce the per/yr hit.

Similar to what you suggested, what 'cak suggested, what Troy Chapman suggested, what I suggested. All common sense, reasonable expectations on both sides. Makes it hard to believe he wouldn't have accepted, if he were offered, but he wasn't. They never got to that stage.

It appears the Texans have PR'd it to look like Andre is the bad guy. But, you're smart enough to make up your own mind & you feel Andre is the bad guy.

So...

 

[Hervoyel]

We don't know that. They never got to contract talks of any kind. The HC had already insulted him.



Hard to say. Last year, his gripe was that his future here was uncertain since the guaranteed portions or his contract had all expired. He was asking to make portions of his contract going forward guaranteed.



Similar to what you suggested, what 'cak suggested, what Troy Chapman suggested, what I suggested. All common sense, reasonable expectations on both sides. Makes it hard to believe he wouldn't have accepted, if he were offered, but he wasn't. They never got to that stage.

It appears the Texans have PR'd it to look like Andre is the bad guy. But, you're smart enough to make up your own mind & you feel Andre is the bad guy.

So...

I don't see how the Texans have made Andre look like the bad guy. I continue to believe that the Texans insulted the man and broke it off based on the very little I have to go on. Andre looks like the bad guy to me only in the respect that he was a total **** after 2013 when he was hanging back and crying about leaving instead of being a leader and getting onboard. He put himself in a bad position there, hurt the team by not getting in and working with the new QB's (bad as they may have been) and even though he did report to camp he never looked like AJ. He always looked like he was a step behind everyone else to me and it didn't look much like age either. It looked at first like he was genuinely thinking too much and not buying in. Later it looked like he was just going through the motions until he had his fun with Keenum at the end.

I'm mad at the Texans for handling it and I'm mad at AJ for being a man right up until the end and then being a baby to cap it off (and then running across the street to the one team that would literally kill Texans fans to see him play for and he absolutely knows it).

But I don't think the Texans have PR'd anything particularly well. AJ looks like a douche to me right now all on his own.

 

[Marshall]

We don't know that. They never got to contract talks of any kind. The HC had already insulted him.



Hard to say. Last year, his gripe was that his future here was uncertain since the guaranteed portions or his contract had all expired. He was asking to make portions of his contract going forward guaranteed.



Similar to what you suggested, what 'cak suggested, what Troy Chapman suggested, what I suggested. All common sense, reasonable expectations on both sides. Makes it hard to believe he wouldn't have accepted, if he were offered, but he wasn't. They never got to that stage.

It appears the Texans have PR'd it to look like Andre is the bad guy. But, you're smart enough to make up your own mind & you feel Andre is the bad guy.

So...

I don't think it's PR. I think it's hard feelings which predated any discussion with the Front Office this year.

 

[Thorn]

For whatever reason the Texans didn't want him. This isn't the first or the last time they make a decision we love/hate. Besides, I'm a Texan fan, not an AJ fan. If my boy Foster goes to another team, I'll drop my fannish feelings for him like a hot rock as well. We all know how this works.

 

[cuppacoffee]

We don't know that. They never got to contract talks of any kind. The HC had already insulted him.


Hard to say. Last year, his gripe was that his future here was uncertain since the guaranteed portions or his contract had all expired. He was asking to make portions of his contract going forward guaranteed.



Similar to what you suggested, what 'cak suggested, what Troy Chapman suggested, what I suggested. All common sense, reasonable expectations on both sides. Makes it hard to believe he wouldn't have accepted, if he were offered, but he wasn't. They never got to that stage.

It appears the Texans have PR'd it to look like Andre is the bad guy. But, you're smart enough to make up your own mind & you feel Andre is the bad guy.

So...

Kinda hard for you to get your head around the fact that AJ threw the first insult by not attending the new coach's mini-camps? Meet the coach and get familiar with the new scheme and what would be expected of him?

Well......OB is still here and AJ is gone. Seems a win win to me.

 

[thunderkyss]

For whatever reason the Texans didn't want him. This isn't the first or the last time they make a decision we love/hate. Besides, I'm a Texan fan, not an AJ fan. If my boy Foster goes to another team, I'll drop my fannish feelings for him like a hot rock as well. We all know how this works.

I'm a Texans fan as well. Right now, I'm not happy with the people chosen to handle this situation. On either side, but moreso on the Texans' side.

 

[thunderkyss]

Kinda hard for you to get your head around the fact that AJ threw the first insult by not attending the new coach's mini-camps? Meet the coach and get familiar with the new scheme and what would be expected of him?

Well......OB is still here and AJ is gone. Seems a win win to me.

Yeah, they need to take "voluntary" off all that.

They agreed to pay him for attending those work outs, if he attended those work outs. He didn't. They didn't pay him. He asked if he could work it off some other way, they said no.

That situation should have been over & done with then. No reason to drag it into another season.

 

[Bulls on Parade]

When the Texans win the Super Bowl this upcoming season I hope the organization "DOES NOT" reach out to Andre Johnson and offer him a well deserved ring like the Boston Red Sox did with Nomar Garciaparra back in 2004.

As far as I'm concerned Andre Johnson showed no class signing with the Colts and I could care less about hearing his name now. He is no longer going to receive my support as a fan. I won't boo him when he returns to NRG Stadium but I won't cheer for him either. When he makes the Hall of Fame one day I'm not even going to care all that much.

I know the NFL is a cutthroat business but I can't wait until we kick the Colts' overrated ass twice in 2015. Maybe even three times. I hope we play them again in the playoffs.

 

[Double Barrel]

Oh man, sorry guys. It's a fake quote intended as a joke, ie Andre so used to Fitz and Schaub underthrowing to him. I should have gone with my other plan: "I intend to make Andre feel at home by practicing the Rosencopter". Or included a

lol!! Ya' got me, man! You joker you!!

Quote:
Andre Johnson said he knew his career was over with the #Texans before last season 'even started'

http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans...napolis-colts/ … #NFL


Skip out on your new coach's mini camps?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...e-johnson-will-skip-texans-mandatory-minicamp

AJ started the disrespect krap. He wanted out, he got his wish. And some folks here want to find fault with the way the team handled it? It was handled just right. Team owes no one who wasn't paying attention an explanation.

Fans complained in the past about Kubiak holding on to his boys and now complain that OB didn't hold on to their boy.

There is a new sheriff in town and he ain't to be fooled with.

Looking now at the past 12 months since O'Brien's arrival, it is clear that A.J. was POUTING last off-season. It was evident with his actions and now confirmed that he did not want to be here.

I cannot blame the franchise for an individual player attitude at this point. We still do not know O'Brien's side of the conversation last week, and we may never know. But it is obvious that A.J. released the parts of it that he thought needed to be out there to support his agenda....which is leaving a knife in the collective backs of a fan base that has loved him for 12 years. He's a traitor as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, "it's just business", and I'm just a customer. I don't have to buy crap from McDonalds just like I don't have to buy A.J.'s crap here.

I wish I could tell you that I did, perhaps you could link us to it. I thought it was funny that he would spit in the face of Rick Smith's who is a still somewhat young former college football strong safety.

I'm not sure that I could beat up Rick Smith, and I work out sometimes and once wore a Tap-Out shirt.

[IMGwidthsize=400]http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/007/508/watch-out-we-got-a-badass-over-here-meme.png[/IMG]

In my perfect world, O'Brien would have found a way to maximize Andre's talents until he retired. But if that's not going to happen, I will root for him as a Colt when he's not playing the Texans, and even if the Texans are eliminated from the playoffs. Andre stuck with the Texans in an effort to build something special, and restructured his contracts for the team's benefit. He deserves a ring.

Now realistically, I don't think he's going to emerge as the missing piece to a Colt's Super Bowl run. He'll make some occasional big plays, and he'll retire after two years. Then his Jersey will be hung in Houston.

Much respect for ya', my man, but I am unable to reconcile being a Houston Texans fanatic and while simultaneously rooting for the Colts. Those are incompatible thought processes in my head.

I've got no problem with A.J. padding his personal stats and his fans rooting for that to happen, but it has to stop short of actually hoping for the Colts to win games.

I just really kind of believe you have a good point here. AJ may very well be the greatest Texan to date but last year when he was throwing his tantrum while the Texans were trying to get everyone on the same page and on board with the new regime he put himself behind Hopkins.

He quit on the Texans before the Texans quit on him. I'm sorry that they didn't get anything for him and I think that a smarter franchise could have figured out how to do that. This is a world where Case Keenum can get you a 7, surely Andre Johnson can get you something.

Regardless of the fact that AJ now plays in Indianapolis one thing hasn't changed. I want them to lose every single time they take the field. I hate the Colts like I never hated the Steelers or the Cowboys. I won't applaud AJ when he comes to town. I'll clap for him when he goes into the HoF and I'll clap for him on the day the Texans retire his number (if that should happen) or the day they sign him to that imaginary BS contract so he can "retire a Texan" but as long as he's a Colt he can go **** himself just like every other SOB on that team.

QFT. Every single bit of it. MSR.

This isn't like Earl being traded to the Saints. Earl never copped an attitude and never played diva. He just got old and his old coach brought him to NOLA for one last hurrah. It was tough to see Earl in another uniform, but the situations are different.

I think Earl always wanted to be a Houston Oiler. A.J., on the other hand, quit on this team before the 2014 season. He was just going through the motions last year.

For whatever reason the Texans didn't want him. This isn't the first or the last time they make a decision we love/hate. Besides, I'm a Texan fan, not an AJ fan. If my boy Foster goes to another team, I'll drop my fannish feelings for him like a hot rock as well. We all know how this works.

I think it is the exact opposite. A.J. did not want the Texans since off-season 2014. His actions revealed it and it is now confirmed that he knew his Texans career was over before the 2014 season even started.

Your statement should be "For whatever reason the Texans didn't want a player that did not want to be here."

 

[thunderkyss]

I think it is the exact opposite. A.J. did not want the Texans since off-season 2014. His actions revealed it and it is now confirmed that he knew his Texans career was over before the 2014 season even started.

Your statement should be "For whatever reason the Texans didn't want a player that did not want to be here."

I think Aj wanted to retire here, just like he always said. However, it doesn't take a genius to know his cap number, his projected salary, the Texans rebuilding, & his age were goin to be issues. Hell, steelbtexan knew it.

He asked them to work on his contract, so it wouldn't be so easy for the Texans to cut him, they refused.

He wanted to be here.

 

[santo]

I think Aj wanted to retire here, just like he always said. However, it doesn't take a genius to know his cap number, his projected salary, the Texans rebuilding, & his age were goin to be issues. Hell, steelbtexan knew it.

He asked them to work on his contract, so it wouldn't be so easy for the Texans to cut him, they refused.

He wanted to be here.

Dude probably overheard O'Brien talking to Smith about wanting Hoyer and that's what made Andre finally lose his cool.

At least that's my theory on why he really left.

 

[brg88tx]

I can't wait to see andre's post game interview at the end of this year after we beat indy in indy for the first time, knocking them out of the playoffs. andre will sound EVEN MORE DEPRESSED than he usually does.

 

[Mr teX]

I think Aj wanted to retire here, just like he always said. However, it doesn't take a genius to know his cap number, his projected salary, the Texans rebuilding, & his age were goin to be issues. Hell, steelbtexan knew it.

He asked them to work on his contract, so it wouldn't be so easy for the Texans to cut him, they refused.

He wanted to be here.

He wanted to be here but at what point do you say no to a player though? He wanted to be here under circumstances that he set forth. You can't give a player that kind of leverage over you especially with a new regime coming in......I think once they rejected guaranteeing him his 2015 salary, AJ checked out on the Texans...& for that he bears some of the responsibility in how he was dismissed from here..in my mind he bears more of it than the FO does.

 

[infantrycak]

Dude probably overheard O'Brien talking to Smith about wanting Hoyer and that's what made Andre finally lose his cool.

At least that's my theory on why he really left.

I know you're joking but the word last year on what started all this and caused AJ to ask for assurances he was in their plans was them not drafting a QB.

AJ checked out on the Texans...& for that he bears some of the responsibility in how he was dismissed from here..in my mind he bears more of it than the FO does.

He was game planned out. It's as clear as can be in the game logs.

 

[SCOTTexans]

Quote:
Andre Johnson said he knew his career was over with the #Texans before last season 'even started'

http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans...napolis-colts/ … #NFL


Skip out on your new coach's mini camps?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...e-johnson-will-skip-texans-mandatory-minicamp

AJ started the disrespect krap. He wanted out, he got his wish. And some folks here want to find fault with the way the team handled it? It was handled just right. Team owes no one who wasn't paying attention an explanation.

Fans complained in the past about Kubiak holding on to his boys and now complain that OB didn't hold on to their boy.

There is a new sheriff in town and he ain't to be fooled with.

Yep, He knew his career with the texans was over before last season because he wanted it to be over before last season.... Holding out sealed his fate

Only issue is why not trade him last yr, but i think the pick they would have gotten wouldnt be worth the winning season BOB's first year (as a oraganization)

 

[Playoffs]

Kyle J. Rodriguez @ColtsAuth_Kyle

So basically the Colts could cut Johnson next year w/ little-to-no cap hit if he hits a wall. Fantastic structure for them.

Joel Corry @corryjoel

Andre Johnson's $10M of GTD money is a $4M 3/24 2015 roster bonus, $3.5M 2015 base salary & $2.5M 5th day of 2016 league year roster bonus.

Andre Johnson's 2015-2017 salary cap numbers are $7.5M, $7.5M & $6M.

 

[thunderkyss]

...& for that he bears some of the responsibility in how he was dismissed from here..in my mind he bears more of it than the FO does.

I won't deny he shares in the culpability here. I was disappointed with the way he handled the situation last season. But I won't say more. He was doing things the way the NFL does things. I don't think OB ever gave him the respect he deserves & I think he went over the line with how this was handled.

 

[Mr teX]

I won't deny he shares in the culpability here. I was disappointed with the way he handled the situation last season. But I won't say more. He was doing things the way the NFL does things. I don't think OB ever gave him the respect he deserves & I think he went over the line with how this was handled.

very much disagree with you on the bolded. Right after the draft AJ uncharacteristically let comments leak out that he wanted out trying to spin it as "retirement". When a new regime comes in, it is understood that "voluntary" means mandatory. However AJ doesn't show up for these workouts.. When he finally does show up, he tries to strong arm the new regime into guaranteeing his 2015 salary.

So if anything, OB showed him more respect by putting up with all this and not putting him in the doghouse.....b/c we all know that if any other player not named AJ or JJ had pulled all that with a new regime, that's where they'd be if not on the 1st thing smoking out of here.

I think when AJ's contract demands were rebuffed back in 2014, OB made him a deal. I could easily picture OB saying something to AJ to the effect of "We could really use you this year Dre, Look, why don't you come on back this year, see what we're building and if you still feel the same way next year, we'll trade/release you.."

 

[santo]

I know you're joking but the word last year on what started all this and caused AJ to ask for assurances he was in their plans was them not drafting a QB.



He was game planned out. It's as clear as can be in the game logs.

Yeah, I was semi-joking but everything from the year before and last year had to caught up to him. No surprise that he chose Luck out of the other two quarterbacks.

 

[Mr teX]

He was game planned out. It's as clear as can be in the game logs.

I would think that was bound to happen with a game plan offense like BoB's & I don't think it was a conscious effort on his part to do so. AJ is/was the main passing threat so teams gave him the most attention on the outside. If you're trying to achieve balance and make your opponent respect all your receiving threats, you spread the ball around to other targets as best you can. That coupled with BoB knowing he doesn't have a qb he completely trusts...stands to reason in my eyes why his targets would be down from years past.

All that being said, AJ still caught 85 balls last year. If he was trying to game plan him out, he did a horrible job at it.

 

[cuppacoffee]

I won't deny he shares in the culpability here. I was disappointed with the way he handled the situation last season. But I won't say more. He was doing things the way the NFL does things. I don't think OB ever gave him the respect he deserves & I think he went over the line with how this was handled.

Gotta ask.

Do you think AJ gave OB the respect a new head coach deserves.

 

[markn]

Gotta ask.

Do you think AJ gave OB the respect a new head coach deserves.

How much is that? I was always taught that respect is *earned*.

 

[infantrycak]

I would think that was bound to happen with a game plan offense like BoB's & I don't think it was a conscious effort on his part to do so.

Look at how he was used. 1st 7 games hunky dory then boom 6 games in a row where he becomes a RB in space. Last 2 when Keenum had to be adapted to, back to more normal and he finishes the season with 10 for 138. Oh "we have a game plan offense" that would happen sporadically. That's not what happened.

 

[Hervoyel]

I think Aj wanted to retire here, just like he always said. However, it doesn't take a genius to know his cap number, his projected salary, the Texans rebuilding, & his age were goin to be issues. Hell, steelbtexan knew it.

He asked them to work on his contract, so it wouldn't be so easy for the Texans to cut him, they refused.

He wanted to be here.

I don't buy it. In the months following the end of that mess in 2013 he is the one who instigated this crap. The Texans could have done what Indianapolis did easily but from the minute AJ realized that change was coming to Houston he pouted and he made comments like "Hopkins time to step up, can't count on me being there" or something along those lines. Chris Meyer, a guy who clearly was going to be a questionable fit for what everyone expected OB to do with the offense and Brian Cushing, a guy who was probably never going to play at the same level he used to again were down at NRG stadium meeting O'Brien when he came through the door. AJ, the teams elder statesman and greatest Texan ever was tweeting and talking about not wanting to go through another rebuild.

AJ checked out after 2013 and was only half-hearted at best about being here.

 

[Hervoyel]

Clearly the two (AJ and OB) did not connect and did not care for one another. AJ felt he'd earned a degree of deference and OB came her to change the culture. I'd be surprised of OB wasn't angered by AJ pulling that **** after 2013 when he got here and AJ was insulted by OB's "Everybody has to earn their job" attitude and manner.

He never bought in and in OB's eyes as great as AJ was he wasn't a team-first guy (not from OB's perspective) so he wasn't an OB guy. Get his ass out of here.

 

[Mr teX]

Look at how he was used. 1st 7 games hunky dory then boom 6 games in a row where he becomes a RB in space. Last 2 when Keenum had to be adapted to, back to more normal and he finishes the season with 10 for 138. Oh "we have a game plan offense" that would happen sporadically. That's not what happened.

Still, I don't think you can definitively say that he game planned him out. It could've just been him adjusting the game plan according to favorable match ups and how teams were playing the offense at the time. And the last 2 games with Keenum could simply be explained by Keenum being more comfortable going to AJ than Fitz ever was...and the fact that we played the lowly Jags in that last game. At one point in the season, Fitz had a run of 3 consecutive games where he threw a pick; I think he'd thrown like 7 over that 4 game span...not hard to imagine that many of those picks were b/c he was trying to force it into AJ when perhaps he shouldn't have been...which is part of why he ultimately got canned. The other thing is AJ had double digit targets sporadically all throughout the year with wide variances in his total yardages game per game. He also dropped more passes this year than I remember him ever dropping in any other year.

His heart wasn't in it and you could tell at times during the season...snatching his chin strap off and throwing his head back when the ball was overthrown.. regardless,, I don't really blame him for wanting out, but those blaming the FO for jettisoning him..need to lay off..they did what they had to do. I think that's why McNair has been a mute since all this has happened. He knew.

 

[steelbtexan]

Weird, maybe. But like 'cak said, at least they went to the table & couldn't come together on a deal. These yahoos running our team didn't even get to table to discuss a contract, they insulted him so bad.

Yeah, chances are that OB didn't want him no matter what. Didn't like his attitude, or the way he parts his hair... that's fine. It's his prerogative. & it's mine to think he's a douche for treating Andre that way.

If Andre didn't want to be here, that's fine. Like grown men, one should say, "I don't want you here." or the other should say, "I don't want to be here."

That's not the way this went down.

Andre did request a trade last yr. That tells me he didn't really want to be here.

 

[paycheck71]

I'm on my phone and can't find it but there was an article that Gore was set to go to Philly when AJ was released and called AJ to say let's go somewhere together. AJ related it as telling Gore he hadn't had time to think about things, where did Gore think they could go and Gore said Indy and AJ agreed. If I can find it later I will but he laid the idea on Gore (who Indy had expressed interest in).

Maybe may mean this one:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/11/andre-johnson-frank-gore-and-i-agree-we-can-win-a-super-bowl/

OK, then wherever I heard the story of AJ calling Gore and talking him out of going to Philly had it wrong. It was either NFL Network or someone on 610

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

lol!! Ya' got me, man! You joker you!!



Looking now at the past 12 months since O'Brien's arrival, it is clear that A.J. was POUTING last off-season. It was evident with his actions and now confirmed that he did not want to be here.

I cannot blame the franchise for an individual player attitude at this point. We still do not know O'Brien's side of the conversation last week, and we may never know. But it is obvious that A.J. released the parts of it that he thought needed to be out there to support his agenda....which is leaving a knife in the collective backs of a fan base that has loved him for 12 years. He's a traitor as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, "it's just business", and I'm just a customer. I don't have to buy crap from McDonalds just like I don't have to buy A.J.'s crap here.



[IMGwidthsize=400]http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/007/508/watch-out-we-got-a-badass-over-here-meme.png[/IMG]





Much respect for ya', my man, but I am unable to reconcile being a Houston Texans fanatic and while simultaneously rooting for the Colts. Those are incompatible thought processes in my head.

I've got no problem with A.J. padding his personal stats and his fans rooting for that to happen, but it has to stop short of actually hoping for the Colts to win games.



QFT. Every single bit of it. MSR.

This isn't like Earl being traded to the Saints. Earl never copped an attitude and never played diva. He just got old and his old coach brought him to NOLA for one last hurrah. It was tough to see Earl in another uniform, but the situations are different.

I think Earl always wanted to be a Houston Oiler. A.J., on the other hand, quit on this team before the 2014 season. He was just going through the motions last year.



I think it is the exact opposite. A.J. did not want the Texans since off-season 2014. His actions revealed it and it is now confirmed that he knew his Texans career was over before the 2014 season even started.

Your statement should be "For whatever reason the Texans didn't want a player that did not want to be here."

msr

 

[Double Barrel]

I think Aj wanted to retire here, just like he always said. However, it doesn't take a genius to know his cap number, his projected salary, the Texans rebuilding, & his age were goin to be issues. Hell, steelbtexan knew it.

He asked them to work on his contract, so it wouldn't be so easy for the Texans to cut him, they refused.

He wanted to be here.

I used to believe it, too, until I started analyzing the past 14 months.

Then the following just confirmed it:

Brian T. Smith ‏@ChronBrianSmith

Andre Johnson said he knew his career was over with the #Texans before last season 'even started'

http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans...napolis-colts/ … #NFL

What part of this quote tells thunderkyss that A.J. wanted to retire here?

I won't deny he shares in the culpability here. I was disappointed with the way he handled the situation last season. But I won't say more. He was doing things the way the NFL does things. I don't think OB ever gave him the respect he deserves & I think he went over the line with how this was handled.

You must have been asleep at the wheel last off-season. O'Brien NEVER had a negative word to say about A.J. and always gave him public respect and constantly sang praises for the guy. Regardless of how he personally felt as a new head coach, he never displayed anything but pure class and dignity toward Andre Johnson.

I'm not sure how you expect O'Brien to show respect, but from most fans perspectives, O'Brien was professional and always positive about A.J.

Clearly the two (AJ and OB) did not connect and did not care for one another. AJ felt he'd earned a degree of deference and OB came her to change the culture. I'd be surprised of OB wasn't angered by AJ pulling that **** after 2013 when he got here and AJ was insulted by OB's "Everybody has to earn their job" attitude and manner.

He never bought in and in OB's eyes as great as AJ was he wasn't a team-first guy (not from OB's perspective) so he wasn't an OB guy. Get his ass out of here.

Yep. The old vet might have thought that his tenure and the owner's words protected him from the new competitive culture that O'Brien was bringing to the Texans. Just speculation, but it feels that way. And I'm not sure, but just based on what we know, A.J. was pouting and purposefully avoiding any and all workouts with the team until it reached a point where the team called his bluff and he arrived at training camp.