As the 2006 season wound down, the Bears had modest aspirations for Tank Johnson: Stay out of trouble, play good football and do no more damage to your life.
After 80 days of home confinement, 60 days in Cook County Jail, a monetary fine and the impending probability of an NFL suspension, Johnson has emerged from a dark period with considerably loftier goals.
“One day I want to be the face of the league for guys who have come through adversity and ultimately become the Man of the Year in the NFL,” Johnson said Friday. “That would be a tremendous ending to this story. That’s something I’m striving for; I would love to do that.”
The defensive tackle was visibly upbeat as he addressed questions for the first time about his incarceration, what he learned from the experience, how his meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell went Wednesday and how he is prepared to deal with an unpaid suspension that some believe could be as long as eight games.
“Mr. Goodell has a tremendous responsibility to get this league in order,” Johnson said. “Whatever he decides to do, it’s in the best interest of the league and I feel like whatever sanction he imposes, I’m man enough to take it. Once I get back on the field, I know that chapter of my life is closed and I can move on with a sense of closure.”
Goodell’s decision is expected within a few days.
Johnson was in his No. 99 jersey and helmet for the first day of the team’s mandatory mini-camp. A starter four games into last season and until a Dec. 14 police raid on his Gurnee home, he watched for the most part Friday as the No. 1 and No. 2 defenses did their work. He took part in drills with his group.
While Johnson was in jail, Bears veterans began their off-season strength and conditioning program and the rookies went through the draft and a mini-camp of their own earlier this month. Johnson has some catching up to do and could have more to do eventually, depending upon the severity of the expected suspension.
“As much as anything, Tank now has a starting spot,” coach Lovie Smith said. “He has a long way to go; as a football team we have a long way to go. But Tank’ll catch up.”
Smith was among a long list of those visiting Johnson in jail and said the matter was more than just player-coach to him.
“I try to keep it that way always,” Smith said. “It’s always personal to me. Player-coach; it’s that, but we try to do things a little differently around here.”
Johnson expressed no bitterness or edge with any of the questions put to him and appeared at ease talking about what he said he wants to be a life-altering experience.
The most difficult times, he said, were the first two and the final two weeks of his stay in jail. Johnson was segregated from the general jail population most of his time in custody and that, in fact, may have had a positive influence on him.
“I benefited from the time alone, to get to know myself,” said Johnson, among the more gregarious Bears. “I learned patience. (Today), with everything being so fast-paced, I learned a great deal of patience and self-control, a lot of things that maybe I didn’t work on enough before.”
Johnson said he was thankful he had gone through a situation like jail time but smiled as he qualified, “I wouldn’t say I needed to go to jail.
“[But] today I have a wonderful outlook on the little things in life. I have tremendous respect for so many people around here and around the country. I have a different outlook on life and it’s bright.”
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jmullin@tribune.com
