Post by Lithfan on Apr 12, 2016 5:35:21 GMT -5
April 12, 2000
The Jets agree to a trade with Tampa that would send Keyshawn Johnson to the Bucs in exchange for two first round picks in the upcoming draft. The trade left the Jets with 4 first round picks in 2000, the only time a team has ever had 4 first round picks.
The trade ended a tense offseason between Keyshawn and the Jets. Keyshawn had been threatening to holdout if the team would not renegotiate his contract. At the time of the trade, Johnson felt betrayed by new head coach Al Groh, claiming Groh was the driving force behind the trade.
Keyshawn, as always, had a lot to say about the deal. Some of his comments at the time as reported in the NY Times:
The Jets agree to a trade with Tampa that would send Keyshawn Johnson to the Bucs in exchange for two first round picks in the upcoming draft. The trade left the Jets with 4 first round picks in 2000, the only time a team has ever had 4 first round picks.
The trade ended a tense offseason between Keyshawn and the Jets. Keyshawn had been threatening to holdout if the team would not renegotiate his contract. At the time of the trade, Johnson felt betrayed by new head coach Al Groh, claiming Groh was the driving force behind the trade.
Keyshawn, as always, had a lot to say about the deal. Some of his comments at the time as reported in the NY Times:
“I don't know what could have prevented me from getting traded,'' Johnson said yesterday in a conference call from his Tampa, Fla., hotel. ''I'm sitting here happy as pie but shocked. No man is invincible.''
Johnson, a former No. 1 pick, added: ''Once Bill stepped aside, and Bill Belidick took over, I felt confident they would still be able to do something. Once the second Bill left, it was left to the newcomers, and it didn't come together because Parcells wasn't as involved as you think.'' Johnson will receive a $13 million signing bonus, an enormous raise from the $2 million he would have earned with the Jets next season.
Johnson, who said he reveled in the love-hate relationship that Jets fans had with him, added: ''I wanted to stay in New York as bad as anybody ever. Bill Parcells tried to address the issue. The new people came in and they wanted to go in another direction. He had to play with the team. There were disagreements with him over the situation. He had to let people do their job.''
''I probably would have a contract of some sort with the Jets,'' Johnson replied. ''If you want to take a percentage, Al had more of a percentage in this than Bill Parcells and the rest of the staff. He didn't want to do it. I'm not saying Al Groh is a villain. Parcells tried to get something done before. When you're the boss, you try and let people make decisions. He's the boss, somewhat. He's helping more than pulling the triggers. He's not the final decision maker in the thing. Al Groh makes the personnel decisions. Parcells is going to step aside in a minute.''
Johnson, a former No. 1 pick, added: ''Once Bill stepped aside, and Bill Belidick took over, I felt confident they would still be able to do something. Once the second Bill left, it was left to the newcomers, and it didn't come together because Parcells wasn't as involved as you think.'' Johnson will receive a $13 million signing bonus, an enormous raise from the $2 million he would have earned with the Jets next season.
Johnson, who said he reveled in the love-hate relationship that Jets fans had with him, added: ''I wanted to stay in New York as bad as anybody ever. Bill Parcells tried to address the issue. The new people came in and they wanted to go in another direction. He had to play with the team. There were disagreements with him over the situation. He had to let people do their job.''
''I probably would have a contract of some sort with the Jets,'' Johnson replied. ''If you want to take a percentage, Al had more of a percentage in this than Bill Parcells and the rest of the staff. He didn't want to do it. I'm not saying Al Groh is a villain. Parcells tried to get something done before. When you're the boss, you try and let people make decisions. He's the boss, somewhat. He's helping more than pulling the triggers. He's not the final decision maker in the thing. Al Groh makes the personnel decisions. Parcells is going to step aside in a minute.''
