Chris Johnson: 4 Reasons the Titans RB's Holdout Could Hurt Him in the Long Run

As the NFL preseason gets ready to kick off this weekend, one NFL superstar is still in a holdout.

Titans running back Chris Johnson continued his holdout today despite having to report by today to accrue another season of service toward free agency.

Johnson feels that the Titans owe him a long-term deal as a reward for the crazy numbers he has put up thus far in his NFL career, which include being the only man in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards and have 500 yards receiving in the same season.

Despite the fact Johnson may deserve more money, his salary for this season is just $800,000.

Here are four ways this holdout is hurting him.

4. Alienating His Fanbase

A holdout is a huge turnoff to fans.

Superstar athletes complaining about making millions of dollars never sits well with the average person.

Johnson has to be careful about complaining to the media or doing anything else that might make him sound like a spoiled athlete.

If he misses time, it really won't sit well with fans, so the sooner he can end his holdout, the better.

3. He Already Lost a Year Toward Free Agency

Johnson obviously made a bold statement by giving up a year toward free agency by not showing up by the deadline.

However, this could easily hurt him in the long run.

Johnson may see himself as a Titan for life, but even if he gets his contract now, this will cost him money later.

The Titans could make this a moot point by awarding him a ridiculous contract, but that seems unlikely at this juncture.

2. He's Losing Money

Under the new CBA rules, Johnson can be fined up to $30,000 for each day of his holdout.

So not only is Johnson not getting paid, he may also end up losing money.

I'm not quite sure there's a scenario where Johnson could end up owing the team, but technically, his entire 2011 salary could be wiped out if he remained locked out for a month.

1. Injuries/Being out of Shape

While I'm sure Johnson is doing his best to remain in shape, there is no real substitute for actually playing the game.

Johnson is already sure to miss the first preseason game and probably the second preseason game if he doesn't report by the end of the week.

In a season already cut short by a lockout, Johnson is putting himself major steps behind the rest of the NFL by continuing his holdout.

If Johnson were to attempt to return for the season, he would be putting himself at a higher risk for injury than the rest of the players.

While he may think he's not making much money, he certainly won't be if he winds up hurting himself because of his holdout.