CINCINNATI (AP)--A $10,000 fine made little impact on Bengals receiver Chad Johnson, who plans to ignore the NFL's guidelines on celebrations and self-expression.
The league fined Johnson on Tuesday for holding up a preprinted sign after he scored the first touchdown in a 41-38 victory over San Francisco.
Johnson, who has been fined repeatedly for violating guidelines on uniform appearance and on-field celebrations, didn't agree with his fine or the $30,000 penalty that Saints receiver Joe Horn received for pulling out a cell phone after a touchdown.
``The fine was ridiculous,'' Johnson said Wednesday. ``It doesn't matter. It's OK. I've got two more games left (this season) _ that's two more fines, then I'm finished for the rest of my career with the fines.''
It was the third time Johnson has been fined this season for touchdown celebrations that violated league rules.
He and Peter Warrick were fined $5,000 apiece for striking a photo pose in the end zone after a touchdown in Cleveland on Sept. 28. Johnson got another $5,000 fine from the league for making a throat-slash gesture following a score against Seattle on Oct. 26.
He scored the first touchdown Sunday in a 41-38 victory over San Francisco, then ran to a snow bank behind the end zone and pulled out a preprinted orange sign that said, ``Dear NFL: Please don't fine me again.''
Coach Marvin Lewis wasn't happy with the sign; he wants his players putting the focus on the team instead of themselves. Lewis and some Bengals veterans also were unhappy with Johnson after he guaranteed a win over Kansas City on Nov. 16.
Johnson said Wednesday he's not going to change with two games left in the regular season.
``It's fun,'' he said. ``It's part of the game. They can't take that away from us. I've got to continue to do what I do. That's just Chad.''
He admired Horn's touchdown stunt of stashing a cell phone under the goalpost padding, then pulling it out and flipping it open to make a call after a touchdown.
``That was nice,'' Johnson said. ``It was different.''
Lewis doesn't mind players celebrating, but is opposed to staged routines designed to draw attention to one player.
``That's being orchestrated,'' Lewis said. ``That's not spur of the moment. That's the whole thing--be spontaneous, make it be unique to you.''
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The league fined Johnson on Tuesday for holding up a preprinted sign after he scored the first touchdown in a 41-38 victory over San Francisco.
Johnson, who has been fined repeatedly for violating guidelines on uniform appearance and on-field celebrations, didn't agree with his fine or the $30,000 penalty that Saints receiver Joe Horn received for pulling out a cell phone after a touchdown.
``The fine was ridiculous,'' Johnson said Wednesday. ``It doesn't matter. It's OK. I've got two more games left (this season) _ that's two more fines, then I'm finished for the rest of my career with the fines.''
It was the third time Johnson has been fined this season for touchdown celebrations that violated league rules.
He and Peter Warrick were fined $5,000 apiece for striking a photo pose in the end zone after a touchdown in Cleveland on Sept. 28. Johnson got another $5,000 fine from the league for making a throat-slash gesture following a score against Seattle on Oct. 26.
He scored the first touchdown Sunday in a 41-38 victory over San Francisco, then ran to a snow bank behind the end zone and pulled out a preprinted orange sign that said, ``Dear NFL: Please don't fine me again.''
Coach Marvin Lewis wasn't happy with the sign; he wants his players putting the focus on the team instead of themselves. Lewis and some Bengals veterans also were unhappy with Johnson after he guaranteed a win over Kansas City on Nov. 16.
Johnson said Wednesday he's not going to change with two games left in the regular season.
``It's fun,'' he said. ``It's part of the game. They can't take that away from us. I've got to continue to do what I do. That's just Chad.''
He admired Horn's touchdown stunt of stashing a cell phone under the goalpost padding, then pulling it out and flipping it open to make a call after a touchdown.
``That was nice,'' Johnson said. ``It was different.''
Lewis doesn't mind players celebrating, but is opposed to staged routines designed to draw attention to one player.
``That's being orchestrated,'' Lewis said. ``That's not spur of the moment. That's the whole thing--be spontaneous, make it be unique to you.''
http://www.ajc.com
