Tennessee Titans: Chris Johnson Presents Another Money Issue, Refuses to Show Up

Chris Johnson, running back for the Tennessee Titans, has been holding out with the franchise for a short while now. Johnson, who became the first in NFL history to accrue 2,500 rushing yards as well as 500 yards receiving, is stirring the Titans’ pot for what he feels is rightfully his— longer-term contract with roughly $30 million guaranteed.

Can anyone say that he does not deserve a huge payday, just like some other notables in the league such as the New York Jets’ Santonio Holmes, who has a five-year $50 million deal with a guaranteed $24 million; or the Arizona Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald who inked a deal guaranteeing $30 million?

To be frank, Johnson has done more than enough to merit a sizable raise. The final two years of his contract can max out to around $2.7 million, as reported by ESPN.

Seriously?

Johnson could earn around $2.7 million during his last two seasons with an organization he has proven himself to. However, rookie quarterback of the Carolina Panthers Cam Newton is walking around with a deal only $8 million short of the $30 million guaranteed Johnson demanded in 2010. The Titans were able to shut him up by boosting his contract by a measly $1.5 million.

Of course the organization is ready and willing to talk turkey with Johnson—that is once he reports to training camp.

That, though, is something Johnson is apparently not ready and willing to do.

Johnson has been missing in action from training camp and it is undoubtedly putting a strain on his relationship with the organization. As much as he may deserve a better contract, there are always ways to get exactly what you want out of people.

Pouting and ignoring deadlines, risking a potential $30 thousand fine for each day you miss, does not seem like the most mature way to get the ball rolling.

Johnson is not the kind of guy that the Titans will let run off and use his talents for another franchise. Tennessee needs him, especially as they begin a new journey with a new quarterback in Matt Hasselbeck and new head coach Mike Munchak.

The running back is one of the only solid quality options the team has right now, and with him holding out in the manner he is, the team may begin to feel a bit of the Vince Young perspective creeping back into the locker room. Not to say that Young was not a great asset to the franchise, but he was a good quarterback that became a bit too much of a cancer to survive.

Johnson gives a little bit more to the team than Young did, however, his way of going about demanding a new contract is showing a broader side of resemblance to the young quarterback that the Titans worked so hard to rid themselves of.