Florida State, Jimbo Fisher Had No Choice but to Dismiss De'Andre Johnson

It was really the only decision that could be made.

After surveillance video surfaced of freshman quarterback De'Andre Johnson punching a young woman at a Tallahassee bar, you knew action would be swift and significant. Less than 12 hours later, it came.

On Monday night, the Seminoles announced in a release that Johnson was no longer with the program (via CBS Sports' Chip Patterson):

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Florida State head football coach Jimbo Fisher announced Monday evening that freshman De'Andre Johnson has been dismissed from the football team effective immediately. Johnson was indefinitely suspended on June 25 following initial reports of an incident that occurred off campus and resulted in a criminal charge.

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Following his arrest last month, Johnson was charged with misdemeanor battery, as first reported by ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach. Florida State had already announced, per Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples, that Johnson was suspended indefinitely from all team activities while the school gathered more information regarding what took place at Yianni's on June 24.

The Florida State Attorney's Office released video of Johnson's punch around lunchtime Monday—courtesy of the Tallahassee Democrat—that showed the altercation in full. The complete video is five minutes long. The version below shows the incident at roughly the 20-second mark. It shows Johnson and the female engage in a verbal exchange before physical contact is made.

Warning: This video contains graphic content.

The release of the video left Fisher with only one option.

I say that with complete respect for youth and a genuine hope that a 19-year-old kid—and that is precisely what he is—will rebound from a most regrettable incident that will impact his life significantly. The problem is that one can't simply cite life inexperience as a reason to hit a woman. One can't simply say that, since the woman punched him first, he should be allowed to punch back.

Having video changed our perception of the event entirely. It added depth. It provided, in this instance, unfortunate context. It didn't fill in all of the gaps, but it told enough of the story. 

Johnson hit a woman with terrifying force—enough force to leave damage on her face that was noted in court reports, as relayed by USA Today's Karl Etters. His right hook, whether or not it was the first to be thrown, ultimately sealed his fate.

Jose Baez, the defense attorney for Johnson, issued a statement following the release of the video and before Florida State made the dismissal official (via Bob Ferrante of Noles247):

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While it is clear from the video that De'Andre Johnson was not the initial aggressor, his family wants to take the lead in helping him learn and grow from this experience. He is currently participating in community service, and faith-based programs focused on battered women, substance abuse and the empowerment of children. De'Andre is extremely embarrassed by this situation and would like to express his heartfelt apologies to everyone, including those who were directly affected, Coach Fisher and his teammates, the entire Florida State University community, as well as his family and friends.

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There is no doubt that his apology was sincere. This is a moment that will haunt him for quite some time, and he is not alone in that regard.

Should he have been hit to begin with? Of course not. Physical contact like this is completely unacceptable, regardless of the size or gender of the human being initiating it. This part is important: It's also an incredibly delicate, difficult line to walk as you take a step back from the footage and look at it from a distance. There was more to this than one punch and one person.

But Johnson's overpowering response—a knockout punch fit for a ring—was enough for the school to cut ties.

You don't hit women. There is nothing delicate or difficult about this part. When you do this, you deserve the consequences. It was a mistake made in a singular moment of rage, but it was simply too much for the school to look beyond.

There is nothing one can say to make this acceptable in any context. The action itself eclipses the lengthy list of items that might "justify" it. There is no excuse—no matter how you believe the incident played out, no matter what you believe was said or no matter who threw the first punch.

This, of course, is an unfortunate ritual football fans are now familiar with. The release of surveillance video involving former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice hitting his now-wife in an Atlantic City, New Jersey, elevator changed how the public viewed that event and triggered the backlash that followed.

There was anger prior to the release of the footage—along with the light two-game suspension handed down by the NFL. But it really didn't bubble over until the video surfaced. Once it did, it added the element of reality to it all, which prompted a collective outcry. As a result, the Ravens had no choice but to cut ties with Rice.

Florida State found itself in a similar situation. Please don't view these moments as equal or similar. They are unique events with unique people that warrant unique responses. But the school made a decision, knowing the public firestorm that would follow with any lesser response.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

And given the current state of outrage—just search his name on Twitter—and the existence of actual video, it had no other resolution to make. There is an undefinable point where players lose the benefit of rehabilitation in their current setting. Despite the fact that Johnson had yet to play a down for the program, this was past a reasonable threshold of healing.

If Johnson were allowed to stay with the school, what message would it have sent to the fans? To the boosters writing checks? What message would it have sent about the program in general?

It is not a decision that should be commended or applauded. This is the unfortunate aftermath of a terrible moment. There are absolutely no winners here.

I hope this is not the end of this young man. I hope that Johnson watches the video and understands the magnitude of his mistake. He is 19; he has still so much left to do and so much life to live. He will get another chance.

But this, in present time, was unavoidable.

In a situation so personal, it's callous to view Johnson's dismissal as a business decision. He, like everyone else on that team, is simply a number. He took up a roster spot that will be filled with relative ease in time. But in releasing him from the program, Florida State made an important statement: that players cannot—and will not—violently put their hands on a woman.

And if they do, they will no longer have the privilege of playing for one of the greatest football programs in the world. Nor should they.