Tempers flare during Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans game
As if things weren’t already bad enough for the Tennessee Titans, Sunday 28 November’s game against the Houston Texans resulted in another embarrassing episode for the team. Aside from being shut out 20-0, Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan got into an
altercation with the Texans' top wide receiver Andre Johnson. The two players exchanged punches during the fourth quarter and were ejected from the game.
After the game, Johnson explained to reporters, "He (Finnegan) kept doing little things and I told him: 'Just because you're frustrated, you need to stop what you're doing. I guess he thought it was funny."
Titans coach Jeff Fisher was not amused by his player’s antics. "It's not good for the game, no," said the coach, who is also the co-chairman of the NFL's competition committee.
Prior to the fight, there was some contact between the players during the previous play. As the two players positioned themselves on the line of scrimmage for the ensuing play, Finnegan jabbed at Johnson's neck and face mask. Johnson then ripped off Finnegan's
helmet and landed two punches to Finnegan's head and neck. Finnegan tore off Johnson’s helmet, and the players tussled before team-mates and referees intervened.
Johnson, who is not known as a dirty or violent player, was not proud of his actions. "It's just a build-up of things over plays," Johnson said. "I just lost my cool." I wish that I could take back what happened, but I can't...I'm pretty sure I'll be disciplined
for it."
Finnegan would not comment to reporters.
This is not the first altercation between the two players. Last season, Johnson was fined $7,500 after he took Finnegan to the ground by the face mask in a scuffle following a tackle. Earlier this week, when asked about last year’s incident, Johnson explained,
"That's the past, I'm over that. That's way behind me, I don't think about that."
Before being ejected from Sunday’s game, Johnson had nine catches for 56 yards and a touchdown.
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