Chad Johnson Pleads No Contest to Domestic Battery Charges

Chad Johnson avoided possible jail time for domestic battery charges by agreeing to plead no contest to a misdemeanor, based on a report from Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk. Johnson is currently a free agent after being released by the Miami Dolphins.

The charges date back to an incident last month when Johnson reportedly headbutted then-wife Evelyn Lozada during an argument. Lozada filed for a divorce shortly after the encounter, and it was recently finalized, according to TMZ.

To Johnson's credit, he has taken full blame for the situation and hasn't tried to escape the negative spotlight that has followed. He recently sat down with the crew from Inside the NFL to discuss what he's gone through in a straightforward interview.

The report states by pleading no contest, Johnson agrees to attend classes for anger management and cease any contact with Lozada. He could have gone to jail for nearly a year if the case had continued without an agreement in place.

The veteran wide receiver has made it clear throughout the process that he would still like to get another chance in the NFL. It's unknown if any team would be willing to rely on an aging wideout with so much baggage, however.

Although Johnson seems genuinely remorseful about what happened, his football skills had already begun to diminish before the Dolphins decided to cut him. He caught just 15 passes last season for the New England Patriots and hasn't topped 1,000 yards in three years.

As for now, he should be worried more about getting his life back in order after a period of time that has clearly had a major impact on him.

Despite all of Johnson's on-field antics, he comes off as a good guy who made a bad mistake. How he responds is the key.