Keyshawn retires to become ESPN analyst

Keyshawn retires to become ESPN analyst


Keyshawn Johnson gave up football for a microphone Wednesday, retiring from the NFL and taking his opinionated voice to ESPN.

Johnson, one of the NFL's top receivers during an 11-year career, agreed to a multiyear contract and will appear on several ESPN telecasts, including pre-game shows on Sundays and Monday nights.

Johnson turned down several offers to keep playing, including a potential two-year contract from the Tennessee Titans that could have been worth $8 million.

Johnson, who turns 35 in July, said at least a half-dozen teams offered him a job.

''Those guys were terrific, from Lane Kiffin to Bill Belichick to Jeff Fisher,'' Johnson said, referring to the coaches in Oakland, New England and Tennessee, respectively. ''They all wanted me to play football for them. At the end of the day, it just didn't fit into what I wanted to do now.''

Johnson worked the NFL draft last month for ESPN and was released by Carolina three days after the Panthers took former USC star wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett in the second round.

Johnson became the 16th player in NFL history to reach 800 career receptions and the 26th with 10,000 receiving yards last season, when he caught 70 passes for 815 yards and four touchdowns.

Steelers release punter: Pittsburgh released veteran punter Chris Gardocki on Wednesday, less than a month after selecting Baylor punter Daniel Sepulveda in the NFL draft.

Gardocki, a 16-year veteran and Pro Bowl selection in 1996, never had a punt blocked and averaged a career-best 45.7 yards per kick last season.

The Steelers traded up in the fourth round of last month's draft to take Sepulveda, the first two-time winner of the Ray Guy award as college football's best punter.

Pit bulls in Vick case likely to be euthanized: Dozens of dogs seized in an investigation into possible dogfighting on land owned by Atlanta Falcons star Michael Vick likely would be euthanized if investigators determine they are fighting dogs, the Humane Society said.

''Almost 100 percent'' of animals seized in dogfighting investigations are euthanized because they have a level of aggression that makes them dangerous pets and neighbors, said John Goodwin, a spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States.

Sixty-six dogs, 55 of them pit bulls, were seized April 25 when police conducting a drug investigation raided the house, which Vick owned but said he rarely visited.

Police also found items associated with dog fighting, including treadmills, syringes and a ''pry bar'' used to pry apart a dog's jaws, as well as a bloodstained carpet. Prosecutor Gerald Poindexter said they also found blood on a floor in the home.

Several of the dogs had old scars that could be associated with dogfighting injuries, but authorities have said the dogs largely appeared to be healthy.

No charges have been filed, and the authorities involved met for nearly two hours Monday to go over their evidence, but said only that the investigation is continuing.

Suspended Bengals' wideout passes drug test: Cincinnati wide receiver Chris Henry has passed his drug screenings, a Kentucky prosecutor and an attorney for the player said Wednesday.

''There were no drugs found in his system,'' said attorney Robert Lotz, who received the final test results at his office.

Rob Sanders, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Kenton County, Ky., confirmed that lab analysis of Henry's drug tests came back negative.

''He's been tested and cleared twice,'' Sanders said.

The Bengals said they were pleased with the latest news on Henry.

Henry undergoes drug screenings as part of his probation in Orlando, Fla., for carrying a concealed weapon and in Kenton County for letting minors drink in a hotel room he rented. Kentucky state authorities screen Henry for Florida authorities.

Reports had circulated Monday that Henry, already suspended for eight NFL games and on probation in both Kentucky and Florida for crimes there, had failed a drug test. Henry's agent denied the report, and the Kenton county prosecutor's office conceded there were inconsistencies and more testing was needed.

Vikings' starting RB doesn't mind sharing carries: After setting a franchise record with 303 carries last season, Chester Taylor said Tuesday he welcomes the addition of draft pick Adrian Peterson.

''They said they were going to give me some help so, all it does is add on depth to our running back crew,'' Taylor said. ''So if I go down, I'm confident these guys can take over and do the job.''

By ''these guys,'' Taylor means Adrian Peterson, who brings some much-needed big-play ability to a unit that finished 6-10 last season.

Coach Brad Childress said he envisions using both backs at the same time on occasion this season, making it harder on opposing defenses to key in on just one guy, as they so often did last season.

And the coach doesn't expect any problems from Taylor, whose soft-spoken demeanor is a contrast to the primadonna complex that seems to afflict many starters.

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