Andre Johnson is a Pro Football Hall of Famer for a reason. The former Houston Texans star played 14 years in the NFL after winning a national championship at Miami and getting drafted No. 3 overall.
As good as he was, the most memorable moment during his illustrious career might be an all-out brawl with Cortland Finnegan.
Johnson unloaded on the pesky safety during the fourth quarter of a win over the Tennessee Titans in 2010. Both players’ helmets were ripped from their heads and went flying. Multiple punches were thrown.
Finnegan was known to be a boisterous trash talker and some people might classify his play as “dirty.” He was not well-liked by many of his opponents who did not appreciate his attitude on the field.
For Johnson, the biggest issue was what Finnegan (and others) did after the play.
I always told people playing the game of football, I was never afraid to be knocked out. That never scared me. So, as long as you did it in between the whistles, I didn’t care. Anything that came afterwards, that’s when I had a problem.
— Andre Johnson on Nightcap
Years of conflict between the Texans wide receiver and Titans defensive back came to a head with the nasty on-field fight. Johnson has often said that he had issues with Finnegan from the minute he was drafted into the league in 2006. There was bad blood right away. The tension boiled over four years later.
However, Johnson’s friends wanted him to settle the beef one year prior. He told the story for the first time during an appearance on Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe and Ochocinco.
His beatdown of Finnegan almost took place during the previous NFL offseason outside of a club in Miami.
Bro, I’m pulling up in valet and they jump out the car while the car’s moving. I’m like, ‘What the hell y’all doing?’ They were like, “There he goes.” So, I’m like, “What are y’all talking about?” It’s Cortland. He’s standing at the front door of the club. I didn’t even see him. They wanted to get on him right then. I’m like, “Nah, we’re not doing that.”
— Andre Johnson via Nightcap
It wasn’t the time and place.
Fast forward a few months. Houston was up 17-0 on Tennessee with very little time left in the game. An ejection wouldn’t have changed the outcome, so Andre Johnson went over to head coach Gary Kubiak and let him know of his plans.
I told Kube, I was like, “Hey man, I’m fixing to beat his ass.” That was just it. I just had enough of the stuff he was doing.
— Andre Johnson via Nightcap
The rest is history! Johnson whooped up on Finnegan.