Ted Johnson
Encyclopedia
Ted Curtis Johnson is a former American football
player in the National Football League
. He grew up in Carlsbad, California
where he graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1991. From there he attended the University of Colorado
and was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft
with the 57th overall selection. He helped the Patriots reach Super Bowl XXXI
and win Super Bowl XXXVI
, Super Bowl XXXVIII
, and Super Bowl XXXIX
.
, 11.5 sacks
, one interception, 16 passes defensed, six forced fumble
s, and seven fumble recoveries.
after sustaining many concussions during his career. He spent the 2005 season as a football analyst for Boston television station WBZ-TV
, but resigned from the station in 2006.
, but refused to press charges against each other. The couple divorced in December 2006.
On February 1, 2007 Johnson made news when he told the New York Times that he suffers from amphetamine
addiction, depression
and headache
s related to post-concussion syndrome
and Second Impact Syndrome. He placed some blame on his former coach Bill Belichick
for pressuring him to participate in full contact practice drills three days after suffering a concussion in an exhibition game against the New York Giants
in August 2002. Johnson reported that during the drills, he suffered a second concussion, and he argues that Belichick asked him to participate against the advice of the team's head trainer. Belichick denies these allegations. Some thought Johnson's revelation was suspect based upon a December 20, 2006 column in the Boston Herald
where columnist Michael Felger
said Johnson told him that he would have considered playing for the Patriots in 2006 had they asked (in the wake of a season-ending injury to linebacker Junior Seau
). However in a February 14, 2007 interview on the Dennis and Callahan Show on WEEI
, Johnson claimed he wasn't being serious when he said that, and in fact stated he said it sarcastically.
The Boston Globe and the New York Times reported in February 2007 that Johnson shows early signs of Alzheimer's disease
.
On January 28, 2009 he discussed his problems with concussions sustained during his pro football career and the impact it had on his life in a CNN article. He indicated he was very inactive for two years following his retirement, barely leaving the house, and described those as bad days. He describes himself as still occasionally suffering from anger, depression, and throbbing headaches. The implication is that he is feeling better recently; however, no details are provided.
He taught a course at Suffolk University in Spring 2010.
(NESN) as a football insider and can be seen on their news report SportsDesk
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He grew up in Carlsbad, California
Carlsbad, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...
where he graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1991. From there he attended the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
and was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
with the 57th overall selection. He helped the Patriots reach Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI
Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1996 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers defeated the American...
and win Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
, Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
, and Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
.
Playing career
In his ten-year professional career, Johnson played in 125 regular season games and recorded 757 tacklesTackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, 11.5 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, one interception, 16 passes defensed, six forced fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
s, and seven fumble recoveries.
Retirement
Johnson retired before the 2005 NFL season2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
after sustaining many concussions during his career. He spent the 2005 season as a football analyst for Boston television station WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
, but resigned from the station in 2006.
Post-career trouble
On July 16, 2006, Johnson and his wife, Jackie, were both arrested after an alleged domestic violence incident at their home in Weston, MassachusettsWeston, Massachusetts
Weston is a suburb of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Boston metro area. The population of Weston, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, is 11,261....
, but refused to press charges against each other. The couple divorced in December 2006.
On February 1, 2007 Johnson made news when he told the New York Times that he suffers from amphetamine
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
addiction, depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
and headache
Headache
A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. The brain tissue itself is not sensitive to pain because it lacks pain receptors. Rather, the pain is caused by disturbance of the...
s related to post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome
Post-concussion syndrome, also known as postconcussive syndrome or PCS, and historically called shell shock, is a set of symptoms that a person may experience for weeks, months, or occasionally up to a year or more after a concussion – a mild form of traumatic brain injury . PCS may also...
and Second Impact Syndrome. He placed some blame on his former coach Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
for pressuring him to participate in full contact practice drills three days after suffering a concussion in an exhibition game against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in August 2002. Johnson reported that during the drills, he suffered a second concussion, and he argues that Belichick asked him to participate against the advice of the team's head trainer. Belichick denies these allegations. Some thought Johnson's revelation was suspect based upon a December 20, 2006 column in the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
where columnist Michael Felger
Michael Felger
Michael "Mike" Felger is a television sports reporter and anchorman for Comcast SportsNet New England. He also co-hosts an afternoon sports radio talk with The Boston Globe online columnist Tony Massarotti on WBZ-FM "98.5 The Sports Hub" in Boston....
said Johnson told him that he would have considered playing for the Patriots in 2006 had they asked (in the wake of a season-ending injury to linebacker Junior Seau
Junior Seau
Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers during the 1990 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California and was the progenitor of the "NFL-USC linebacker".A ten-time All-Pro and...
). However in a February 14, 2007 interview on the Dennis and Callahan Show on WEEI
WEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
, Johnson claimed he wasn't being serious when he said that, and in fact stated he said it sarcastically.
The Boston Globe and the New York Times reported in February 2007 that Johnson shows early signs of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
.
On January 28, 2009 he discussed his problems with concussions sustained during his pro football career and the impact it had on his life in a CNN article. He indicated he was very inactive for two years following his retirement, barely leaving the house, and described those as bad days. He describes himself as still occasionally suffering from anger, depression, and throbbing headaches. The implication is that he is feeling better recently; however, no details are provided.
He taught a course at Suffolk University in Spring 2010.
NESN
In September, 2009 Johnson joined New England Sports NetworkNew England Sports Network
The New England Sports Network, or NESN [NESS-en], is a regional cable television network that covers the six New England states except Fairfield County, Connecticut and Southbury, Connecticut, a town in New Haven County, Connecticut which is covered by New York City sports networks...
(NESN) as a football insider and can be seen on their news report SportsDesk
SportsDesk
SportsDesk is a former sports news television show that was shown every day on the New England Sports Network, USA. The last current primary anchors were Cole Wright and Jade McCarthy. Various reporters included Kathryn Tappen, Heidi Watney, Naoko Funayama, and Jayme Parker on a rare basis....
.