An emotional Chad Johnson joined Showtime's "Inside the NFL" Wednesday night, fully aware of how far he's fallen.
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"First off, I lost two things that I love, honestly. Football, I love. You know that. And you know the way I play the game, I enjoy it, I have fun with it, you know?" Johnson said. "And being married, being a husband, being a lover, it was an honor. You know what I mean? And I lost that. And you know that saying, 'You never know what you have until it's gone?'
"And now I finally know what they mean."
The interview aired on the same day Johnson's divorce was finalized. The former Miami Dolphins wide receiver said he's been taking anger-management classes. He expressed great hope at returning to the NFL.
"When you get a humble Chad Johnson that has lost everything and has to work his way back up, that's a big deal," Johnson said. "Because you're not getting that same individual, you're not getting that same fun guy. ... I gotta prove a point. That's the scariest thing in the world to have someone that has that drive."
He sounded sincere, but we doubt Johnson will get another chance. Miami always figured to be his last real shot at a job. It's not just Johnson's arrest, which doesn't help. It's hard to imagine another team thinking that Johnson's talent still warrants any added attention or distraction he brings.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
