Chiefs announce that Derrick Johnson will be allowed to test free agency in March
 

Per Terez Paylor

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chiefs announce that Derrick Johnson will be allowed to test free agency in March</p>&mdash; Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerezPaylor/status/963511579349323776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Tuesday that linebacker Derrick Johnson will become a free agent when his contract with the club expires at the start of the new league year on March 14. The announcement ends Johnson’s 13-year run with the Chiefs.

“Few players in recent history have meant more to the Chiefs franchise and the Kansas City community than Derrick Johnson,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “His tireless work ethic and passion for the game made him one of the most productive defensive players to ever wear a Chiefs uniform and one of the most respected players both in our locker room and around the league. Over the last 13 seasons, Derrick represented himself and the Chiefs organization with integrity and class, and he will always be a part of our Chiefs family.”

Johnson is the franchise’s all-time leading tackler, compiling 1,262 career stops (993 solo) in his 13 seasons with the Chiefs (2005-17). He earned four Pro Bowl berths in his time with the club.

“I’ve been blessed to be a part of the Kansas City Chiefs organization my entire career,” Johnson said. “I’d like to thank the Hunt family, my coaches, teammates and the staff for the tremendous amount of support I received over the years. I love Kansas City and this fan base, they’ve always had my back. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to spend 13 years in a place I love. I plan on playing for several more years because I love this game so much, but I look forward to retiring as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs when my career is over. I’ll miss my Chiefs teammates – we made a lot of big plays together over the years – and I wish them the best in bringing a championship home to the best and loudest fans in the NFL.”

General Manager Brett Veach and Head Coach Andy Reid weighed in on Johnson’s tenure in Kansas City.

“Letting go of a player like Derrick is particularly tough because of how much respect I have for him as a player and as a person,” Veach said. “He’s had a tremendous career here in Kansas City, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”

“I’m grateful I had the opportunity to coach a player like Derrick,” Reid said. “He’s a passionate football player and a natural leader. I value the amount of quality work he put in every day for us, including teaching our younger players what it means to be a pro. I think he will make an incredible coach when he is done playing the game, if he chooses.”

Johnson played in 182 games (169 starts) with the club tallying 27.5 sacks, 40 quarterback pressures, 14 interceptions – returning four of those INTs for touchdowns – 23 forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries. Johnson had a career-high 179 tackles in 2011 that led to his first of four Pro Bowl appearances. In addition to his four Pro Bowl berths, Johnson was named the club’s Mack Lee Hill Award winner following his rookie season, an award given to the team’s top rookie or first year player. Additionally, after his career year in 2011, Johnson was awarded with the Derrick Thomas Award, given to the team’s MVP. The former Texas Longhorn originally entered the NFL as the Chiefs first-round pick (15th overall) in 2005.

http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2...b-487e57ffa691

5th round comp pick or a packet of twizzlers? :D

Remember when he forced that huge fumble that sealed the first home playoff win in decades

Shocked.

Another one bites the dust.

You're on deck, Hali.

To the surprise of no one.

I still remember how happy CP and I was when we drafted him. Considering how many first round picks become busts, this one worked out.

I'm still hopeful we can get him back at a lower cap number. He still has value.

Yeah good dude sucks to see it happen

Good luck

DJ is a guy who should seriously, seriously think about hanging it up. He's had a long career, made a boatload of cash, and knowing what they know now about the damage that comes with a football career, especially playing ILB, why take any more risk? If it's love of the game, be a coach or something.

He’s done btw

Old and slow

He's actually one of the guys that Reid should offer an interim coaches job to see if it's something that he's interested in. I think he'd be a good LB coach over time.

May go down with Sabby Piscatelli as one of the best Chiefs defenders ever.

This, over and over this. Please DJ, retire, ride into that sunset head held high with Chiefs' fans cheering. Come back strong as a coach and continue a legacy.

However it works out, great career though. I honestly couldn't stand the guy his first couple seasons in KC, but then it seemed like a lightbulb went on in his head and he really started balling and maintained that level for a long time. He'll go down as one of the better players in franchise history.

I agree. He was a great player when he was younger, but he's definitely lost a step, and it's not going to get any better, or easier, for him.

Dude is going to make it so he can't walk one day. Just hang them up.

He needs to retire while he can still walk

Its sad to see guys like him and Hali go... but its time

Retire as lifelong Chiefs with your dignity intact guys, and you'll be living legends in KC the rest of your lives

And then returned the fumble for the epic miracle game winner. Best game I've ever seen out of a linebacker, and he did it when the lights were brightest.

\

Easy there, don't be sacrilegious. Don't ever compare another player to Sabs.

He can probably get a 2 year deal from someone

He’s done but someone will pay for his name

This. Let him continue to tutor Ragland, Eligwe, Eligwe and/or a draft pick.

I think I'll remember DJ most for the 50,000 interceptions he dropped.

Maybe he doesn’t wanna coach?

Good move by the chiefs though. Go ahead and pull the Tamba band aid as well

So does this 100 percent mean that he's gone, or could the Chiefs sign him at a lower contract rate if he gets no takers? What are the odds of him coming back to KC?

DJ is a class act. Wish him well.

The same odds as Jamaal Charles after he was released last year

Everyone knew this was coming but it still sucks to see DJ released.

As others have noted, dude, just please retire. You're old and slow and don't need the paycheck.

Enjoy your life.

The year he was drafted I was hoping so much we'd get him or Thomas Davis. The crazy thing is Davis was picked right before him and is also still playing.

The right pick would have been Aaron Rodgers, but still, great pick by KC. DJ will be in the ring of honor before long.

A true warrior. RIP.

Chiefs have to make this move unfortunately.

However.... I am probably in the minority here. And as much as I love DJ as Chief.... I say keep playing as long as you can/want to (knowing and understanding the risks that go along with that) if someone is willing to bring you on. If you truly love playing once it is over and you leave there is no going back. Be happy and play the game you love as long as you can or allowed to it. I would not want to regret leaving something I loved knowing I still could be allowed to do it.

So, with Alex and DJ gone.. how does our cap space look as of mid-March now?

Lotta talk about him being a big loss on Twitter


Am I the only one that thought he wasnt very good last year?

I have to say...I thought the same thing when reading his career 14 INTs stat. :) He probably should have 30+....

Great player...good luck.

Since the Smith trade can't go through right now.....our current cap space is at $12,594 after the DJ cut.

They want to go younger at ILB he won't be back. Hali is done too, would have cut him last year but he had guaranteed money or something due where they essentially had to keep him.

You guys need at least one ILB in the draft, probably will bring in a vet depth guy too.

Why do people always mention athletes hanging it up “while they can still walk”?

If Lawrence Taylor can play into his 30s in his era with the amount of coke he did and still be functional in his 50s, why can’t DJ?

Not me I think this memory will though

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Inevitable but still painful. Loved watching him fly around and smack people. The most underrated ILB of my generation and maybe lifetime.

At least 30+! And how many of those were ones that hit him right in the hands when he was wide open and could've walked the ball in for a pick 6?

But yes, great player (after his first couple years).

London Fletcher was pretty underrated as well.

His cap number was $10.25 million and now its $2.25 million. How much are we going to save moving on?

Shouldn't be the last old player cut.

Figured they would announce Hali before this. Hali is a much easier decision. Glad we are making changes sounds like the Mellinger article was right. Loved DJ, thanks for the memories and good luck!

How many major surgeries did LT have? I honestly dont know, but I'm willing to bet less than DJ

We've all seen these older, retired players hobbling around, complaining about their knees and the chronic pain they endure etc... I say it because I wish guys like DJ and Tamba well

They're shells of their former selves, have nothing left to prove, and have enough money to spend the rest of their lives spending... why tarnish ones legacy by hanging on too long, and going out there looking like shit?

No shock in this news.

Zombo is now the 2nd oldest player on the team. Get him the **** out Veach

Godspeed DJ.

Probably my favorite Chief.

Farewell, DJ. One of my all time favorites.

So shitty that he only ever got to be apart of 1 playoff win. Oh well. Good luck, DJ.

Both DJ and Tamba were such great stories in their own ways, and now they can both retire as lifelong Chiefs... its just sooo rare to have one, let alone two, players from the same era have the chance to say that

Its pretty special in the modern NFL

DJ had bust written ALL over him, then in perhaps the best move of his coaching career, Haley benches him... and off that bench emerged one of KCs greatest linebackers

I've read that he has expressed interest in coaching after his playing career is over I'd love to have him as a coach, dude is a motivator.

Any chance he was getting some speed back toward the end of the year after the Achilles? He was slow and ineffective at the beginning but made some plays against TEN (most of which were called back)

Tamba Hali should be next to go.

Good.

Thanks DJ. You did well.

It's time though. I'd love to see you back for cheap or as a coach or something.
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Remember when we all thought DJ was going to be a bust?


Ring of honor.

He's be everything you could ask as a Chief...solid player on the field, locker room guy and no off field issues.....but it's a good business decision.

I wish him well in his future.

sounds like he was interested but we arent

Wouldnt take on a block to save his life, always tried to run around them... badly lacked physicality

Come to think of it, early DJ reminds me of Dee Ford a little bit

Not thinking retirement, apparently.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ng-retirement/

Wish he'd just take over as LB coach and stay a Chief.

Fantastic career, and as some of you have said, one of my favorite Chiefs of all time.

I was a little pissed when he blew up Jamaal Charles in the Pro Bowl but I laugh about that now.

Now we know why he wasn't a TE.

Sad, but probably the right move for all involved. Thanks for the memories...

How about a splint for his broke dick?

The tape is out there, who is going to take him?

I could maybe see Chicago wanting some help in their 3-4, considering Nagys familiarity with DJ

Todd Haley got that light bulb turned on.

He crushed Mariota enough to stop his forward progress.

Hard to say if it was the benching or simply an accumulation of knowledge/experience. Hard for a cerebral ILB to take off right away in the league - it's so fast.

His lasting legacy to me will be that, when we needed it the most, he brought his A+ game.

And then Jeff Tripplette ****ed us.

**** Jeff Tripplette. I hope he dies of dick cancer.

agreed.

DJ was great. I hope he retires instead of going somewhere else.

So do we donate to his charity now?

An all time great. Good luck to him with whatever the future holds.

Does anybody still have that gif of DJ just absolutely lighting up Jake Plummer? One of the best hits he ever put on a QB.

I can’t articulate how much I appreciate DJ. Great Chief

Agreed. One of the smartest players around. He won’t. But strictly for my own personal fandom, I wish he would.

This is bittersweet news. I know it needs to be done, and I know it's the right move. But at the same time, I will miss him. One of my favorite Chiefs of all time. Thanks for the memories, DJ.

Remember when DJ returned two interceptions for touchdowns in one game

“When I restructured my deal, I voided my last year out,” Johnson said. “In order for me to come back with the Chiefs, we’d have to work on a deal or do something for a one-year type of deal.

“But the Chiefs, they wanted to go younger across the board — that’s what (general manager Brett) Veach was talking about. I wasn’t in their plans, and I understood that. They’ve got some cap issues, and even though I would have bended some to be a Chief, there really was no negotiation. I just wasn’t in the plans. And that happens; it is what it is.”


“I thought there’d be a chance we could negotiate something,” Johnson said. “But it is what it is. I appreciate Veach being straight up with me by saying, ‘Hey, this is where we’re going. I don’t want to lead you on. We appreciate and respect everything you’ve got going on, but right now, D.J., you’re not in our plans going forward.’”



“Letting go of a player like Derrick is particularly tough because of how much respect I have for him as a player and as a person,” Veach said. “He’s had a tremendous career here in Kansas City, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”

Johnson told The Star that he expects to continue his playing career elsewhere this fall in pursuit of a Super Bowl ring.

“I at least want to play a couple more years,” he said. “I at least want get to 15 years in the league. Right now, I’m just chasing a ring, man. I am.


“It’s going to be a tough deal to leave Kansas City,” he said. “We knew it was coming at some point. But they say it usually comes sooner than later, and it’s here.”

Johnson made it clear that he’ll always consider the Chiefs his No. 1 team. When asked if he’s leaving with any hard feelings against the organization or Reid, Johnson said no.

“Not at all, man, not at all,” Johnson said. “I’ve had five head coaches, and he’s the best. I’ve won a lot with Andy Reid and I have a lot of respect for him. I think the world of Kansas City, so there’s no bridges burned. It’s a good, long relationship and everyone knew it would end at some point.

“I’m a Chief at heart. My kids are Chiefs fans, and I’m sure whatever team I’m on (next), my kids are gonna have two teams, I’ll tell you that.”

One of the best and classiest players in Chiefs history. I wish him well wherever he goes but the team needs to get a lot younger and faster.

I guess the question is not necessarily can he make a roster, but how much (or how little) is he willing to play for. He's probably not going to get much more if any than the veteran minimum.