Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker
Disgruntled Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson responded today to coach Marvin Lewis' comments that the team is prepared to move on without him.
On ESPN's SportsCenter, Johnson said that "I will never change" and that he no longer cares about making other people happy.
Lewis drew the line with Johnson during this week's league meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. The Bengals coach held firm that a trade will not happen and that Johnson will have to answer to his teammates one way or another.
Lewis added that it is unfortunate Johnson put himself in this situation, because people that had "affection" for Johnson now view him in a different light.
The comments clearly impacted Johnson as they were read to him.
"Affection? Affection?'' Johnson asked. "That's the problem right there. That's the problem. I'm always worried about making people want to like me, the player. The player is not going to change. But Chad has to do what's right for Chad, whether they like the light or not. It doesn't matter. That's the problem. I have to do what's right for me. Period.''
Johnson didn't stop there.
"That's why (Lewis) made the comment (about) the people that had affection,'' he continued. "He thinks I'm worried about people liking me. Those days are over. I'm not worried about them anymore, because I have to do what's right for me. Getting myself out of a losing situation, if that's what I have to do, then I have to do it.''
Johnson added that he didn't want Lewis to "take any bullets for me,'' as the coach said he would if Johnson returned to the team this season and conducted himself in a professional manner.
Johnson suggested that he would show up when required.
"My plans are to show up and embarrass everybody that tries to cover me,'' he said.
About halfway through the interview, there wasn't much left to say. It remains clear both sides are far from a resolution in this ongoing saga.
By the end, Johnson appeared at a loss for words.
"I mean, I don't know,'' Johnson said. "We got to do better, that's it, period. We've got to do better. As a whole. As a whole. And if we don't, we're fooling ourselves.''
