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| Johnson: Belichick ignored doctor's advice |  |
| NFL.com wire reports |
NEW YORK (Feb. 2, 2007) -- Former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson said coach Bill Belichick subjected him to hard hits in practice while he was recovering from a concussion -- against the advice of the team's top trainer.
Johnson, who helped the Patriots win three Super Bowl titles before retiring two years ago, told The New York Times that a collision with another player during that 2002 practice led to another concussion. And, after sustaining additional concussions over the next three seasons, he now forgets people's names, misses appointments and suffers from depression and an addiction to amphetamines.
"There's something wrong with me," the 34-year-old Johnson told the Times in a story posted on its Web site Thursday night. "There's something wrong with my brain. And I know when it started."
The Boston Globe, which is owned by the Times, posted a similar story on its Web site.
Johnson, who played 10 years in the NFL, said he began to deteriorate in August 2002 with a concussion during an exhibition game against the New York Giants. He sustained another concussion four days later after Belichick prodded him to participate in a full-contact practice, even though he was supposed to be avoiding hits, Johnson said.
The next month, with their relationship already strained, Johnson confronted Belichick about the practice after the coach asked him to meet in his office.
more: http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/NE/9970383
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